Contact: Diane Brandon or 800-433-5374 or 817-729-7573 cell diane@arlington.org
ARLINGTON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
UNVEILS NEW BRAND
Jay Burress’ introduction of the brand.
(Arlington, TX)— Move over Fun Central, the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau unveils a new brand on May 21st at the newly-renovated Arlington Visitor Information Center. Designed by Arlington-based advertising agency Blanchard Schaefer, the new logo was created to capitalize on the dramatic changes to the city’s landscape.
The new brand, “and the crowd goes wild” is reminiscent of the golden days of baseball broadcasts, appropriate for the traditionally-flavored Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Yet crowds are guaranteed to “go wild” at Cowboys football games, on Six Flags Over Texas roller coasters and even at successful meetings held at the Arlington Convention Center.
“Our new brand is the forefront of our efforts to make Arlington’s products, services and attractions even more appealing to a broader range of visitors, meeting planners and convention attendees” said Jay Burress, President & CEO of the Arlington CVB. “The word ‘Arlington’ is now much more visible and memorable, yet we still retain the fun aspects of our city.”
Over 12,000 consumers were surveyed and results showed that leisure travelers are looking for entertainment (47%), family-friendly destinations (41%) and value (37%). Two-thirds of the respondents did not consider any other destinations when making their travel plans. Of those consumers who have visited Arlington in the last 24 months, 55.5% have visited more than twice, and 20% have visited six or more times. Fifty-one percent stayed two or more nights in Arlington hotels, and 58% live between 100-399 miles away. Eighty-five percent came to Arlington for the attractions and entertainment.
The research targeted 9,729 meeting planners were surveyed. Ninety percent declared value as the most important criterion in selecting a destination; convention and meeting space was important to 89%. Seventy-one percent found hotel class important while 66% found both proximity to airport and creating memorable experiences for attendees paramount. The meeting planner “sweet spot” is: 73.5% are female with an average age of 49.5 and book 249 room nights and less, and most likely are in the Texas-Oklahoma-New Mexico-Arizona region.
The brand launch is part of a new strategy designed to broaden the city’s marketing to convention and tourism sectors that include a reskinned website, http://www.arlington.org; a new mobile site, http://m.arlington.org; a redesigned meetings section at http://meetings.arlington.org; and an online value club, ArlingtonInCrowd (to be launched in June), where potential visitors can find great values on shopping and discounts at area restaurants. Strategies also include banner advertising online with outbound e-mail components, cinema advertising and direct mail in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Little Rock.
“I am delighted with the new logo,” says Arlington Mayor, Dr. Robert N. Cluck. “It’s sophisticated, yet still portrays Arlington as the fun destination that it already is and will be in the future.”
The new $1.15 billion dollar Cowboys Stadium opens June 6 with a concert by Texas favorite George Strait and the new football season begins with a pre-season game against the Oakland Raiders on August 13. The city will also be welcoming the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame in spring 2010. Rounding out the city’s tourism product is the original Six Flags theme park, Six Flags Over Texas, the Texas Rangers and Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, the Planetarium at University of Texas Arlington, Johnnie High’s Country Music Revue, the Levitt Pavilion in downtown Arlington and scores of hotels, restaurants and shopping.
