Seeking resonance in rebranding the Yakima Valley

YAKIMA — What do you think of when you hear "Yakima Valley?"

Do you think of the area's agricultural bounty, the high number of boutique wineries and the relaxing nature of the area and its people?

Or do you point to car thefts, gangs and graffiti?

On Thursday, the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau unveiled a new strategy and logo designed to promote strong attributes of the Yakima Valley -- namely crops, wineries and recreational activities.

"It takes a lot of people singing a similar song for it to resonate," said John Cooper, bureau president and CEO.

Hundreds of destinations around the world have undergone similar processes in the last few years to differentiate themselves from the competition and gain a bigger share of the state, national and worldwide markets.

Though tourism spending in Yakima County is on the rise, the $307 million that visitors spend on average only makes up 2.1 percent of the amount spent statewide. In 2007, visitors spent $14.8 billion, according to Dean Runyan Associates, a market research firm.

But there's more at stake than money.

A brand can help a city or state be at the top of consumers minds when they are looking for a place to visit or live and evoke a positive feelings of that city of state, said Chekitan S. Dev, a marketing and brand management professor at Cornell University.

"Customers are looking for those places that are able to define themselves in a clear and compelling way and offers something that is interesting, unique," he said.

When it comes to marketing, everyone thinks he or she is an expert, said Reyn Bowman, president and CEO of the Durham Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Some thought branding the area only required a new logo or catch line, Bowman said.

But when Bowman and officials from several community and economic development organizations began the brand strategy process four years ago, everyone was forced to take a hard look at the community's true identity.

The key to success in implementing a brand is to show prospective visitors and residents what the destination is, not what it aspires to be, Bowman said.

The group did develop a tagline, "Where great things happen."

Two years after it launched the new brand, Durham officials are showing signs of success. About 300 businesses have incorporated the new strategy. A recent survey showed that 80 percent of residents are aware of the brand and that 97 percent of residents said the new brand gave them a positive feeling about the city.

"You always want to be better as a community, but at the heart, you are who you are," he said.

Kathy LaTour, an associate professor at the Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has a perfect example in her backyard.

Las Vegas is known for its decadence and who hasn't heard of "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?"

But in the late 1980s, Las Vegas officials tried to establish the city as a family-friendly destination. They promoted an MGM theme park and other kid-oriented attractions.

It didn't work. Destinations such as Orlando, Fla., were better at marketing themselves as family-friendly and many people could not shake Las Vegas' "Sin City" reputation.

"If you have something that is strong, don't give it up the next year," she said. "You need to be consistent and have a long-term outlook for your brands."

Mayor Dave Edler said during Thursday's presentation that in conducting research for the branding process, not one visitor, meeting planner or tour operator mentioned crime, gangs or other issues.

But, it's critical to get the locals on board.

When people visit the area, whether for business or leisure, they're more likely to encounter an average Joe then a government or business official. "Every Yakima resident is a brand ambassador," Dev said. "That sort of program goes a long way when everyone buys into it."

But that's not an easy task. Given the geographic radius of the Yakima Valley area -- it spans from White Pass Ski Area to the wineries of Prosser -- it will take time to communicate the new brand to visitors and residents, Cooper said.

That's to be expected, however.

"Brand building takes time," Dev said. "You have to be willing to stick with it for a while. You have to make a multiyear, even a multidecade, commitment."

* Mai Hoang can be reached at 577-7685 or mhoang@yakimaherald.com.

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