During the recent Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau’s annual Destination Marketing Forum not only were the results of a year-long Visitor Profile Study discussed, but also digital marketing agency Bandy Carroll Hellige unveiled a new brand platform, logo and creative for marketing the city’s tourism initiatives.

In addition, Tempest Interactive gave a preview of a new web site that will go live in August and is being developed to replace GoToLouisville.com.

“Louisville is a city in transformation.  More than $1 Billion is being invested in developments ranging from the expansion and renovation of the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), the 600-room Omni Resorts hotel, the expanding Urban Bourbon Experience and projects in new tourist-bound neighborhoods from Portland to Smoketown,” said Karen Williams, LCVB president and CEO,

She added, “This presents a perfect opportunity to refresh Louisville’s marketing image to potential visitors.  After over a year of consumer research and development, we are pleased to unveil the new look and strategies for driving tourism business to our unique destination.”

Tourism numbers in Louisville have ballooned from 12.7 million visitors in 2011 to more than 20 million in the most recent study. 

The study also reveals that more than 85 percent of Louisville’s visitors are coming for leisure travel.

“We will have a strong focus on generating increased leisure travel over the next two years, but this will not diminish our commitment to grow our lucrative convention business,” Williams said.

He added, “While we will continue to book business into the 6^th largest convention center in the US, the Kentucky Exposition Center, a national campaign is also underway marketing the expansion of KICC.”

The LCVB has been using the current logo and brand since 2007 after a collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, Greater Louisville Inc., the Louisville Downtown Partnership and others launched “Possibility City”. 

Since the success of that campaign, Louisville has become the brand.  Key findings in the consumer research revealed that visitors and meeting attendees recognize Louisville for attributes from authenticity and Southerness to Bourbonism and the growing culinary scene. 

Bandy Carroll Hellige (BCH), LCVB’s agency of record, took those insights into building out the brand platform, new logo that includes a fleur de lis and date of the city’s founding and new creative that will market the brand attributes across the leisure and convention segments.

Williams discusses the brand reveal HERE.

“Like all cities, Louisville is not one thing,” said Stacey Yates, LCVB vice president of Marketing and Communications.

She added, “It offers many rich cultural experiences to a variety of audiences.  The best tourism marketing distills a few central themes to create a unique position to showcase that essence through a brand.  We believe the research supports the brand platform and BCH’s logo and creative captures Louisville’s spirit.”