ERT has been full steam ahead since its inception in 2018. Bridging the gap between travelers and the vibrant Randolph County community, ERT skillfully entices individuals from around the world to drop in for a visit. When LMC began the discussion about market research, brand development and website design, we knew that the organization’s look & feel would need a touch of authenticity to match the community profile.
Rome wasn’t built in a day – neither is a solid brand. By harnessing the power and data of a strong market research project, a tourism assessment study assisted in the formation of ERT’s solid foundation. LMC dug deep to lay the groundwork for brand development and utilized the research to pinpoint the audience and their interests and behaviors, along with design concepts, color palette options and a tagline that most resonated with them.
Design concepts for brand development were tested as part of the study. Overwhelmingly, those surveyed gravitated towards one logo and color palette.
The enclosed badge-style logo chosen is bold and rugged while showcasing a fun, handwritten tagline, “Authentic By Nature.” The logo paired with a denim blue and earthy clay color palette expresses Randolph County’s adventurous, one-of-a-kind nature.
Our goal was to develop a brand that is a geographical representation of Randolph County and communicates the very essence of the West Virginia travel experience. A new brand should convey a strong message and we are confident in this brand’s ability to strategically target visitors.
An authentic web presence, along with a new marketable identity, increased the target audience’s awareness of Randolph County’s tourism opportunities, and also of ERT’s brand and website. With this, the organization became the go-to, trusted source for tourism information in the county. The website leverages insights from market research and brings authenticity to the brand’s story.
Purposeful video and immersive imagery bring Randolph County to life and support brand messaging. The platform makes it easy to promote seasonal content while keeping valuable trip planning information within reach.
