Brand Leadership Team busy finalizing Squamish’s Brand Action Plan

While the summer event and tourism season is in full swing keeping the majority of locals hopping, a group of passionate community members are working behind the scenes to finalize work on the Squamish Brand Enhancement project. The volunteer committee has now transitioned to a Brand Leadership Team (BLT) and is currently editing the 50+ recommendations in the Brand Action Plan before providing it to Council and the community in September.

The BLT comprises of members from the original Brand Development Committee (BDC) as well as new members from the community who represent different organizations and sectors.  The team kicked off the development of the Action Plan with the Roger Brooks consultant team in mid-July with the editing of the recommendations scheduled for completion in late August. The BLT is charged with implementing the plan once complete.

Members of the Brand Leadership Team (in alphabetical order) are:

• Yanick Belanger, Chamber of Commerce – Board Member; Web Development Manager, The Web Division
• Deanna Bell, Britannia Mine Museum – Director of Sales and citizen representative
• Christine Campbell, Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association – Executive Director
• Vanessa Carrington, District of Squamish – Economic Development Officer
• Jeff Cooke, Squamish Off Road Cycling Association – President; Chamber of Commerce – Board Member; Bark Busters – Business owner and citizen representative
• Paula de Jong, SquamishAdventure.com – Business owner and citizen representative
• Tim Emmett – Professional Athlete, Television Presenter and citizen representative
• Alice Gus Tsawaysia Spukwus, Squamish Nation – Educator
• Patricia Heintzman, District of Squamish – Councillor and ex-officio representative
• Christina Moore, District of Squamish – Manager of Communications
• Colleen Myers, Form Business Design – Founder and Lead Consultant; Entrepreneur and citizen representative
• Darren Roberts, The Chief Newspaper – Publisher and citizen representative
• Toran Savjord, Quest University – Vice President, Operations and Development & Director of Recreation and Athletics
• Tracey Saxby, Imagine Squamish – Creator; Greener Footprints – Co-Founder and Director and citizen representative
• Randy Stoyko, District of Squamish – General Manager of Business and Community Services
• Lesley Weeks, Tourism Squamish – Executive Director

“The first phase of the branding project was incredibly insightful as we [the BDC] worked together to review and distill the 1,100 surveys and capture what sets Squamish apart from every other community,” says Lesley Weeks, Executive Director at Tourism Squamish. “Now the Brand Leadership Team is building the plan, along with the consultant team, to leverage what makes us unique.”

Additional community members will be brought onto a broader BLT once the action plan is finalized and it’s time to start implementing the recommendations. “We look forward to working with as many passionate members of our community as possible,” says Vanessa Carrington, Economic Development Officer at the District of Squamish. “The more energy, focus and hands on deck—as we roll out the action plan—the better!”

Recommendations in the action plan are both product development and marketing focused. They will include recommendations relating to such items as: way-finding and signage; downtown improvements; ways to further connect the various economic and recreation hubs throughout the community; enhanced marketing initiatives; and the pursuit of new business opportunities to align with the brand.

The Brand Leadership Team is on target to complete the action plan in late August after which they will share the new Squamish brand, and supporting recommendations, with the community. A presentation to Council and subsequent roll-out to the community is scheduled for late September. Additional information on the community branding process can be found at squamish.ca/brand

August 12, 2014