Squamish brand strategy and marketing action plan revealed

Following nine months of intense work representing 550 volunteer hours (and counting), the new Squamish brand strategy and marketing action plan has been revealed. The tagline Hardwired for Adventure and a logo that incorporates Squamish Nation symbolism and the blue of Squamish’s glacial waters, was presented to a packed Council Chambers Tuesday, with many others tuning in to the live broadcast remotely.

The full presentation is available for viewing online at www.squamish.ca/brand

Members of the Brand Leadership Team gave the presentation: Lesley Weeks, Executive Director of Tourism Squamish; Jeff Cooke, Director with the Squamish Chamber of Commerce and president of the Squamish Off Road Cycling Association; Glenn Davies, president of the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association; and Tsawaysia Spukwus (Alice Guss), Educator with the Squamish Nation.

The formulation of the brand strategy stems from the analysis of data from 1,143 surveys that asked residents (and visitors) seven open-ended questions.

“We heard loud and clear what the community had to say about Squamish – we heard the good, the bad, the ugly, and the amazing,” said Weeks during her presentation. “We learned that we are a community that embraces an outdoor lifestyle; that is youthful, active, vibrant and creative; that is inspired by and in awe of our natural surroundings; that leads an unscripted way of life; that has an entrepreneurial spirit; and that isproud and respectful of our First Nations heritage and logging industry roots.

And while Squamish can compare to many other communities that may have world-class rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking or windsports, no other community can claim to have so many breathtaking outdoor adventure opportunities within 10 minutes. This is Squamish’s unique point of difference, and therefore the positioning that the brand team zeroed in on to develop the rest of the brand strategy.

Squamish, is an English adaptation of the First Nation word Skwxwu7mesh, meaning “Mother of the Wind” and “people of the sacred water”. The new logo features the ‘Eye of the Creator’ icon that represents the powerful connection that all Squamish people, dating back to the First Nations, have with nature and the magnificent scenery that surrounds the town. Ocean, mountains, granite, forest, wind, and rivers; these natural elements have defined Squamish and its changing economy through the ages, and today offer a lifestyle packed with adventure that sets Squamish apart from all others.

The tagline Hardwired for Adventure represents the remarkable network of natural and manmade infrastructure – lakes, mountains, rivers, trails, climbing routes and water access – that provide limitless opportunities for adventure of all shapes and sizes. It also speaks to the people of Squamish and their innate desire to embrace all that the natural surroundings have to offer. And finally, the word hardwired is a nod to Squamish’s growing knowledge industry, representing a forward-looking economy, and a youthful, entrepreneurial community.

Along with the brand project facilitators Roger Brooks International, the brand team helped formulate an Action Plan that includes 55 recommendations outlining next steps. The action plan addresses a number of key challenges that Squamish faces, as identified through the survey. The recommendations cover such topics as the importance of signage and wayfinding; the necessity for product development and infrastructure to evolve in support of the brand; ways to better improve connectivity of our neighbourhood ‘hubs’ and address highway sprawl; and ways to make Downtown great.

The entire brand strategy and marketing action plan is designed to accelerate economic development – through attracting new residents, businesses, students and investment to town.

“This brand strategy zeros in on marketing the lifestyle that Squamish offers, which is overwhelmingly supported by the survey data that identified why the majority of respondents moved here and/or stay here,” said Cooke. “This lifestyle is what will attract businesses and industry across a variety of sectors to Squamish. In addition to being a transportation hub, close to the city, and offering great value, Squamish offers a one-of-a-kind adventure-filled lifestyle for their workforce that no other town can.”

“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the brand team for the countless volunteer hours and immense amount of passion they have invested in this process,” says District of Squamish Mayor Rob Kirkham. “Never before have we seen such a concerted team effort across all the major organizations in our community. I am very optimistic about this brand strategy and look forward to great synergies and results as we all pull in the same direction for Squamish’s future success.”

The brand team consists of 17 volunteers representing 28 local organizations and businesses.

The presentation video and PowerPoint slides, the story of the logo, and a full list of the brand team committee members can be viewed on the branding project page.

October 6, 2014