Hey there, community champions! I wanted to take a stroll down memory lane to the groovy times of 2023 when our monthly Chamber campaign was the talk of the town. Buckle up, because we’re about to relive the awesomeness that unfolded through these fun monthly themes, quirky merchandise, and a whole lot of community love.
If you missed it, Bravery Branding organized a community initiative in collaboration with our local Whitley County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. After a recent change in Chamber directors, we were approached with the task to figure out a way to rejuvenate the look of this local chamber and figure out a way to get members re-involved, as well as new businesses to have FOMO (“Fear Of Missing Out”) and encourage them to join! In the past, Whitley County businesses were lacking a sense of community and partnership. It was essentially a “fend for yourself” mentality, which in turn made the County feel divided lacking. With a brand new high school just built, new businesses coming to town, and old businesses tired of the same old tactics, we knew it was time for a major change.
Throughout all of 2023, we embarked on a journey to bring local chamber members together through engaging monthly themes that celebrated the unique spirit of our community. Each month featured a carefully curated theme, and we invited all members to actively participate and/or sponsor the theme for that month. Exclusive window clings and stickers were provided to members who wanted to participate, with shirts available for purchase too. All adorned with custom-designed graphics capturing the essence of each theme, and all designed and printed by yours truly.
This campaign went beyond aesthetics; it was a powerful way to showcase our community pride and unity. Members proudly displayed these themed items, contributing to a visually cohesive town and creating a shared experience that strengthened our sense of community. Let’s dive deeper into why this campaign has been successful:
Merch mania… because swag is our middle name
Picture this: your business windows adorned with snazzy clings, laptops and water bottles sticker-fied to perfection, and closets bursting with the coolest shirts in town. That’s the magic of our themed merchandise! We turned each month into a mini-fashion show, and our dear members rocked those looks at every community event. Seeing businesses sport the bright and playful window clings for everyone to see gave a sense of togetherness and support.
Graphic greatness – where art meets identity
The secret weapon? Custom-designed graphics that weren’t just pretty faces but the heart and soul of each month’s campaign. We kept the same playful theme throughout each month, while throwing in a little pattern of pizzazz to go with. Keeping aspects the same throughout ensured we’d create a recognizable look for the entire year. Some businesses would leave the clings up and continue to add next month’s to their window, while others would replace the old cling with a new.
Promo pizzazz – ’cause we’re leaving FOMO in 2022 y’all!
How did we get members on board? Well, we threw the biggest virtual fiesta, of course! Our monthly theme coordination and promotion were on fire, with social media buzzing, newsletters dropping, and events popping up left and right on the Chamber’s website. Our board members and director were constantly spreading the word about the upcoming month’s campaign. In fact, we even had one local General Store suggest the theme for April! Pretty sure you heard about it because FOMO was practically begging for mercy!
Crunching numbers and breaking records
We’re not all flair and no substance. Nope! We crunched numbers, dissected feedback, and did some serious soul-searching on this one. Our community engagement metrics and analysis weren’t just about charts and graphs; they were about celebrating the epic success of Whitley County and setting the stage for even greater adventures to come in 2024. Through this campaign, we were able to successfully onboard over 50 new Chamber members in 2023 alone.
Here’s our theme for each month:
- January = Chillin’ with the Chamber
- February = Love Local
- March = Lucky to be Local
- April = Blessed to be Local
- May = Honoring Local Heroes (National Poppy Month to honor veterans with the local VFW.)
- June = Sweet to be Local (National Candy Month and National Fudge Day, to celebrate with our local bakeries and fudge shop.)
- July = Proud to be Local
- August = Partee Like a Local (The month of our Annual Chamber Golf Outing – the largest event for the Whitley Chamber.)
- September = Fall in Love with Whitley County
- October = Creepin’ it Local
- November = Thankful, Grateful, Local
- December = Believe in the Magic of Whitley County
So, why this nostalgic trip, you ask? Because 2023 wasn’t just a year; it was a vibe, a connection, a celebration, and an amazing partnership for us!
We are so excited to revisit these monthly campaigns in 2024 and figure out new ways to revive these campaigns, encourage more community support, spread art and color to our businesses, and turn Whitley County into a destination you’ll for sure want to visit next.
Cheers to you, the real stars of the show! 🌟