COastal flavor
Mobile Airport Authority
CoastAL Flavor is a brand campaign for the Gulf Coast of Alabama that taps into the vibrance and diversity that each of its locations have to offer. It focuses on providing a cohesive brand language across different cities on the Gulf Coast to boost tourism.
Cover Image designed by Taya Person https://www.instagram.com/tayaperson/
opportunity
The Gulf Coast of Alabama comprises different towns and cities, each with beautiful locations and robust activities for tourists to engage with. Many tourists are unaware of the connection between these locations and all that the state has to offer.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
How might we position coastal Alabama as a leading destination for fly-in tourists by highlighting its unique offerings?
SoLUTION
CoastAL Flavor is an integrated brand identity that encompasses each region's unique identity and allied offerings into a system that communicates its highlights to the desired target audience.
My roles
Research Lead​
I identified implementable research frameworks and contextualized them to suit a branding-oriented study. I framed and facilitated primary research which included immersive field studies in Alabama, and remote interactions with tourists across different demographics. I tested concepts with different stakeholders within the tourism boards of Alabama, and also helped compose the structure of the concept testing for the potential brand identities.
Research Insights
Quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews including included immersive field studies in Alabama and remote studies were conducted, gathering data from over 250 participants comprising tourists specifically choosing Alabama as a destination state as well as general travelers to understand patterns in travel choices. The research findings delved deep into understanding current travel trends and patterns, specifically looking into the impact of Covid on travel decisions.
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Generation Y (Millennial) was chosen as the target audience to understand their travel preferences and frequency, focusing on their motives and inclinations behind making travel decisions. Additionally, projections for 2022 with respect to air travel and local tourism were referenced to better design a cohesive and influential brand system.
Solution
CoastAL Flavor sheds light on the unique features of each place within the Gulf Coast region. This overarching brand language is communicated through daily interaction spaces and merchandise including tee shirts and bus stations, and through different social platforms such as Instagram and Spotify.
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A subliminal marketing approach was considered to ensure constant reinforcement of the brand and its offerings, especially to encourage repeat visits.
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Measuring impact
The campaign was presented to different representatives of tourism organizations associated with Alabama Tourism and Mobile Airport Authority, to better understand the reception for the various offerings.
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The concept, which explored a branding approach different from the existing tourism campaigns, was identified as timely, specifically within the scope of post-pandemic travel. The proposal was chosen due to its clean visual language that appealed to different demographics, along with its ability to cater to multiple audience touch points.
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