By Denise DeJuilo, KCSAE Ex-Officio Board Member
Branding is the process of giving a meaning to specific organization, company, products or services by creating and shaping a brand in consumers' minds.
We all work, live and play in KC but do you ever wonder the strategy behind branding our destination? We have numerous cities we compete with on a daily basis for tourism dollars whether it be for conventions or leisure travel. I thought there was no one better to interview about branding KC than my colleague at Visit KC – Ms. Traci Moon, Sr VP of Marketing & Communications.
Denise: As the Sr VP of Marketing & Communications for Visit KC - How would you describe KC’s brand?
- Traci: Our brand is authenticity at its very core. We are the Heart of the Midwest – a vibrant, creative, diverse and inclusive community. We are the chief sales and marketing organization for our destination. Our mission of igniting passion for Kansa City is something that we never take lightly. We are proud, passionate and honored to share our brand with the world.
Denise: In what ways have you integrated digital media into traditional branding efforts?
- Traci: We employ an integrated digital marketing strategy targeting audiences via demographics and psychographics using adaptive content customized to leisure and business travelers’ individual interests. Continually understanding and aligning with the evolving consumer mindset is vital. We learn about our consumers and engage with them accordingly. Visit KC’s digital marketing strategy allows us to get in quickly to test new markets and opportunities, fail quickly and then optimize to target and interact with highly engaged leisure and convention consumers.
Denise: Tell us about a time you used data analytics to inform a branding decision?
- Traci: Always. Planning is essential. We utilize a strategic approach in all Visit KC branding decisions; leveraging and optimizing the insights derived from the analytics. Our research-driven approach keeps us focused on investing efficiently, expanding our reach and impact to the destination by allowing the insights derived from the data - leading us to new market opportunities to local, regional, national and international audiences.
Denise: What role does customer feedback play in your branding process?
- Traci: Consumer feedback guides our strategies and brand development process. This is especially important when engaging with our meeting planners and event attendees during their decision-making process and in their arrival to KC. By understanding our customers’ needs, we ensure that they feel welcomed and excited to experience Kansas City. Ensuring that our visitors have as much information and awareness of our destination prior to their arrival is fundamental. Visit KC’s owned and operated channels work in concert with our paid and earned media channels to ensure that we are consistently and respectfully engaging with our travelers when, how, where and in/on which platform they wish to interact with us.
Denise: Lastly, what affect have the KC Chiefs Super Bowl wins, Taylor Swift, hosting the World Cup had on KC’s branding?
- Traci: We invested a tremendous amount of dedicated time and valuable resources to develop our brand platform and positioning. Working in direct partnership with our agency, we have ensured that every component of our marketing approach is fueled by research and insights that inform us about the way travelers are behaving in real-time while forecasting how the future of travel and demand is evolving. Consumers are increasingly choosing to shape their travel plans around sports, music and live events. We launched our From the Heart campaign at the perfect time to live, work, visit and belong in Kansas City. Our visitors value experiences and quality over material objects and quantity – pursuing larger-than-life moments that become substantive memories. Our From the Heart campaign illustrates and reinforces our authentic pride and passion as the Heart of the Midwest. The Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl wins, KC Current’s history-making global impact on women's sports, proudly welcoming Beyoncé and Taylor Swift concerts, the 2023 NFL Draft and 2026 FIFA World Cup authenticate our From the Heart branding campaign. The fiercely competitive, diverse, energetic, passionate, engaging, inclusive, pioneering, welcoming outlook of our sports teams, entertainers, professionals, and community members directly invigorates and fully embodies our position; Kansas Citians LOVE Kansas City. It’s proudly our worst kept secret and one we want to share with everyone…because everything we do is from the heart.