Published On: 10.14.15 | 

By: Kelli M. Dugan

Mobile rebranded: ‘Born to Celebrate’ aims to boost tourism, amp up Alabama fun

Downtown Activity – Families Dining Outside on Dauphin Street

Downtown Activity - Families Dining Outside on Dauphin Street

Above: Mobile’s dining and shopping are among the things “Born to Celebrate” in Mobile’s latest tourism effort. (contributed)

 

 

The mission: To pinpoint that one, believable truth that not only attracts tourists in droves but also creates a brand identity, which locals can own and honor 365 days a year.

The result?

Mobile, Ala.: Born to Celebrate

The comprehensive rebranding of Alabama’s more than 300-year-old port city called upon a host of professional, community and elected players, but the nearly yearlong process culminated Monday with the debut of a cohesive destination brand that embodies Mobile’s “spirited, soulful sense of hospitality.”

“We’ve had several other brands and advertising campaigns over the years, but we felt we needed to develop and tell Mobile’s story in a new, authentic and meaningful-to-the-consumer way,” said Al Hutchinson, president and chief executive officer of the Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The mantra appeals to travelers’ desire to have fun while on vacation, Hutchinson said, but it also pledges emotional well-being.

“We felt like all Mobilians can connect with ‘Born to Celebrate’ as it represents hospitality, being welcoming, celebrating the things that are important to each of us daily, etc. We also know that a visitor is looking for fun and excitement when traveling, and our research showed that visitors to Mobile truly feel welcomed and embraced by locals, that locals genuinely seemed happy to meet newcomers. ‘Born to Celebrate’ is something we could genuinely understand and ‘own’ as a city but also one that visitors would recognize immediately as a reason to consider Mobile,” he said.

USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park is one of the attractions Mobile is promoting in its new tourism campaign. (contributed)

USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park is one of the attractions Mobile is promoting in its new tourism campaign. (contributed)

The comprehensive repositioning includes the Convention & Visitors Bureau’s renaming and rebranding as “Visit Mobile.” While the entity will continue its role as the official tourism and convention marketing organization for the city, county and Mobile-area hospitality industry, the new moniker is expected to more clearly communicate what the organization’s role and No. 1 responsibility is in the community: attracting visitors.

Hutchinson said $150,000 has been invested in the two-part repositioning effort. The allocation, approved Jan. 20 by the Mobile City Council, covered the cost of on-site interviews, surveys, research, analytics, design and development provided by Virginia-based BCF, a full-service advertising and interactive agency specializing in destination marketing.

“We are securing additional funding for an increased but very targeted digital and print advertising campaign, new area signage, new trade show/convention displays, etc., to support the new brand,” he said.

Hutchinson said Visit Mobile will hire a “brand benchmarking firm” in 2017, to track any measurable increases in “overall visitation, hotel occupancy, average daily rate, lodging tax, inquiries to website, social media growth, articles produced in publications/online sites, conventions booked and leads generated over the last year since the brand launched.”

In addition to BCF’s professional services, the rebranding effort involved the creation of a first-of-its-kind committee of stakeholder organizations, comprised of the following:

Returning to the brand oath developed by BCF, Hutchinson said “Born to Celebrate” symbolizes Mobile’s unique “melting pot of people, flavors, cultures and traditions” translated into a unified voice “to lead all of life’s celebrations.”

“Join the jubilee and welcome every day with an enduring passion and a little soulful hospitality, because life is the ultimate gift. This is the spirit of living. This is what we’re born to do,” the oath reads.

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson called the strategic repositioning “an incredible moment for Mobile as we begin to take our place as one of America’s great destination cities.”

The lengthy effort was necessary, he said, to “develop a new brand that can help us tell our story and put a ribbon around the package of outstanding amenities and experiences we have to offer.”

“We applaud (Visit Mobile) for leading that effort as we invite the world to enjoy our spirited, soulful hospitality. Whether it’s great food, music, history or culture, we truly are ‘Born To Celebrate,’” Stimpson said.