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Unifying the National Parks of New York Harbor
The New York Harbor family of sites consists of 10 National Parks
with 23 unique destinations, including the Statue of Liberty and
Ellis Island. The marketing problem is twofold. The association
of the family of sites to each other and to the National Parks Service
is unclear. Beyond the big attractions the other sites are largely
off the radar for visitors. Our proposal outlined the strategy for
unifying the diverse sites, raise and maintain awareness, and increase
community involvement. Discussion points include:
- Design an original, compelling identity system
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a unified theme for National Parks of New York Harbor
- Develop and implement a high-energy branding
campaign to re-introduce National Parks of New York Harbor as
an integral part of the “New York Experience”
- Build the marketing infrastructure necessary
to position National Parks of New York Harbor as highly desirable,
repeat destinations for all visitors
- Create and execute a cost-effective public
relations campaign to re-ignite interest and motivate the community’s
involvement in conservation, heritage renewal, and fiscal support
- Brand campaign will be extend the NPS brand
essence in “New York” directions
- Develop compelling emblems for each of the
National Parks of New York Harbor sites, capturing the identity
of each site and threading the parks as a coherent network of
experiences and themes; this approach gives continuity for visitors;
creates merchandising opportunities
- Develop awareness program to build on this
connectivity, and help the diverse New York Harbor and surrounding
Heritage Areas cross-promote each other
- Leverage high-profile annual summer harbor
festival to launch National Parks of New York Harbor brand identity
and cultivate alliance opportunities with existing and potential
public and private partnerships
- Develop long-term co-branding exposure opportunities
with associated competitions, festivals, and cultural events
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A window to our approach
Brands are institutions. They are only as good as they are reproduced
in the hearts and minds of people. This begins with strategy and
is ritualized through the story of the brand. Strategy aligns priorities,
assets, and audiences. It provides the logical framework and values
to guide marketing. The purpose of storytelling is to reinforce
the original brand contract with the audience, not invent it.
Without strategic continuity the branding process
turns into a series of campaigns acting as creative tests tethered
by logos and taglines. This is a porous approach as it loses brand
esteem as fast as the next clever campaign steals it way. Brands
do not spontaneously generate at least not for long. At best organizations
may get impressive media placements, a spike in attendance and a
pat on the back.
Tapping the emotional power of the brand
For the National Parks of New York Harbor brand-building must be
institutional and programmatic. A successful brand strategy for
the National Parks of New York Harbor aligns the great brand reserve
of the National Parks with the New York experience. Branding is
about building emotional infrastructure. Each brand encounter should
awaken people to what they intuitively know.
At the heart of the National Parks brand is
the need to preserve the natural and historic treasures that help
enrich and define life in the United States. This means different
things to different people. But most people share this feeling.
The job of the marketer is to help people rediscover this feeling
in relevant and compelling terms.
If Colonial Williamsburg has earned a spot in
America’s heart then the National Parks of New York Harbor
has what it takes to be another great American attraction. It has
the diversity and historic richness to make for a multi-day adventure,
season after season. Governors Island alone is New York’s Yosemite,
a place to rediscover the surrounding beauty and experience history.
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