Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1483162
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2022 UCW 9 Convention & Visitors Bureau introduces new name a STAFF REPORT NEWS e Fayetteville Area Conven- tion & Visitors Bureau (FACVB) unveiled its new name, logo and brand identity, DistiNCtly Fayetteville, on Nov. 1 at the Airborne and Special Op- erations Museum. Anchored in foundational tourism research that gleaned insights into what visitors find attractive about the Fayetteville area, the then-FACVB team started on a journey to envision a new brand that better reflects the region and all it has to offer. "In Fayetteville and Cumberland County, radically different experiences create one distinct destination," said Randy Fiveash, Interim President & CEO, DistiNCtly Fayetteville. "It is time we have a name, look, and feel that celebrates and embraces our region's energy, diversity, and distinc- tiveness. Our new DistiNCtly Fayetteville brand does just that. We are ready to share everything that makes the Fayetteville area special — with our community, our region and beyond." is journey didn't happen overnight. In the summer of 2021, the FACVB knew they needed a change. For the first time in 17 years, the des- tination marketing organization moved forward with a Request for Proposal process to hire a new, full-service marketing and advertising agency. From the beginning, they knew they wanted a North Carolina-based agency. In August 2021, an RFI was issued to 13 North Carolina full-service marketing and creative agencies. Of that 13, seven asked to receive the RFP, and six proposals were received. ere was an RFP review committee, includ- ing city and county tourism industry repre- sentatives. ose six proposals were narrowed down to three agencies. Each came to town in hopes of being the next agency of record. After those interviews, one stood out, and the com- mittee knew they had found the agency to take the FACVB in a fresh, new direction. is was no small task. During their presentation, the winning agency said: "Fayetteville is like this hidden gem that no one knows about. We'd like the op- portunity to change that." With that statement, the FACVB board voted to offer the contract to a new agency, approving the new hire. Shortly after their contract began, the task of this new branding exercise began. It was nine months in the making, and there is more to come. In addition to the new name, logo and overarching brand, DistiNCtly Fayetteville will launch a new website and announce a bold new marketing campaign in the com- ing months. e DistiNCtly Fayetteville team worked with its new marketing and advertis- ing agency, Mythic, out of Charlotte, on the rebrand. At its core, DistiNCtly Fayetteville is a private, not-for-profit organization responsible for positioning Fayetteville/Cumberland County as a destination for conventions, sporting events and individual travel. It is the tourism market- ing arm of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, fueled by research-based marketing. Anytime you develop a new brand, a brand positioning statement is the foundation for everything the brand does moving forward. e tourism branding statement that was designed for DistiNCtly Fayetteville reads: Here, history meets history in the making. Where Southern charm meets modern flair. Unex- pected thrills bring unexpected respite. And radically different experiences create one unique destination. Discover why it all works in the Fayetteville area. "As a community-based des- tination marketing organiza- tion, our priority is on growing economic health and increasing quality of life for Fayetteville and Cumberland County while also ensuring a valuable, positive experience for the people who visit this wonderful region," said Fiveash. "is new brand and our upcom- ing bold marketing campaign will help us continue to promote our community and broaden our reach to new folks across the region and the nation to come experience, time and again, what makes us distinct." Travel and tourism for Cumberland County in 2021 generated more than $608 million an- nually and accounts for more than 4,550 jobs and $163.2 million in payroll. Additionally, state and local tax revenues to Cumberland County from travel amounted to $46.3 million, which represents a $138.49 tax saving for each household in the county. is solid economic travel impact ranks Cumberland County 12th among North Caroli- na's 100 counties, behind Mecklenburg, Bun- combe, Wake, Dare, Durham and others. e statistics are from e Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties study that was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics. Tourism Economics is an internationally respected research organization focused on the travel sector. To learn more about Fayetteville/Cumberland County and experience what makes the region distinct, visit DistiNCtlyFayetteville.com. "Our priority is on growing economic health and increasing quality of life for Fayetteville and Cumberland County..." — Randy Fiveash, DistiNCtly Fayetteville Photos below: Lafayette and ASOM by Dylan Hooker; Fayetteville/Cumberland County by Dawson Jarmin; Interna- tional Folk Festival courtesy the Arts Council; Parade on Hay Street and Fort Bragg sign are File Photos.