Lake County Visitors Bureau rebrands as ‘Tour Lake County’ - News-Herald
It’s the beginning of a new era for the Lake County Visitors Bureau.
The organization, which had gone by “Remarkable Lake County, OH” for nearly six years, recently announced a fresh long-term branding and marketing campaign.
As the official destination marketing organization for the county, the bureau has rebranded as “Tour Lake County” and released a new logo, brand identity, and website.
Officials noted that over the past several years, Lake County has seen “a significant increase in the number of tourists coming to the area as well as growth in the number of new travel and tourism-focused projects.”
In addition, the Tour Lake County brand will “identify many of the county’s most well-known, at-a-glance tourism assets, as well as position the organization to more clearly articulate its mission of promoting tourism assets to increase overnight stays and drive economic development for its members, stakeholders, and communities.”
Tour Lake County also serves to amplify the “already successful, award-winning marketing campaigns the organization has been running over the past several years, as significant research was done in conjunction with Cleveland-based Twist Creative to guide direction, identity and marketing messaging.”
Over 1,000 people engaged in the rebranding process, officials noted, including Lake County Visitors Bureau member organizations, local travel and tourism stakeholders, area business leaders, prior visitors, and people who have never visited the area.
According to bureau staff, the broad and diverse group of individuals provided valuable insight into the development of the brand and helped shape future marketing messaging.
Subsequently, Tour Lake County enlisted the assistance of Dan Simon from Studio Simon and Skye Dillon from Skye Design Studios to turn feedback and research into a visual identity.
Officials said the design team has worked on branding projects for major entities and events, including the Super Bowl, NASCAR, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, and the Kentucky Derby.
Tour Lake County Executive Director Neil Stein said the nonprofit is ecstatic with the new name.
“We can’t thank our partners, members and stakeholders enough for their time and input that helped us get to this point,” he added. “The brand helps us clarify who we are as an organization as we continue to strategically invest within the travel and tourism industry.”
Embracing the Remarkable Lake County, OH tag in 2019, Creative Director Trista Wright noted that, as time passed, it was time to step out of the shadows of the established brand and create something the community would get behind.
“As a designer, I am so grateful to my team and our partners for coming up with something that represents our incredible county in a way that will tell our story, at a glance, to prospective visitors — that is what branding is all about,” she said.
The 2024 marketing launch, dubbed “Your Tour Starts Here,” is the advertising campaign for Tour Lake County.
Stein noted the robust media campaign will feature broadcast and digital television spots, programmatic display ads, paid social media, influencers, online contests, print advertising, billboards, Laketran ads, sponsorships, and targeted podcast advertising.
Director of Digital Marketing and Strategy Katie Montz added that the campaign further aims to show off the range of attractions throughout the county that appeal to different types of travelers.
“Whether you’re a young family looking to start your tour at the beach or you’re a couple escaping for a weekend away by starting your tour at a winery, our goal is to inspire you to tour Lake County,” she said.
In addition to the paid marketing initiatives, the organization has also launched a new online presence and website which features updated branding, variegated itineraries, an interactive event calendar, enhanced member profiles, and features on the Lake County Taco Trail and the 30-plus wineries of the Grand River Valley.
Visitors to the site are also encouraged to view the new “Newsstand” portion, under the “Things To Do” tab, which will be continuously updated with stories related to happenings within the county’s travel and tourism industry.
For more information, contact Tour Lake County at 440-975-1234 or visit TourLakeCounty.com.