Print, Video Advertising and Public Relations to Focus on Various Mediums.
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (Nov. 23, 2009) – St. Maarten, a diverse Caribbean destination, is focusing on the variety of experiences that vacationers enjoy with a new branding campaign that captures the “feeling of the experience” that visitors elicit during their stay on the island. When announcing the new branding campaign for the destination, St. Maarten Commissioner of Tourism Frans Richardson explained that the concept behind the branding can be summed up with one statement: “It’s all in our name.”
Working with the spelling of “St. Maarten,” the just-launched campaign will capture audiences across North America with positive adjectives purposefully misspelled with “capital double ‘A’s” followed immediately by the words “St. Maarten.”
The campaign identity, created by advertising agency Tambourine, will be visible in all logos, videos, print and outdoor advertising, specialty marketing items, brochures and stationary as well as an image gallery which features all new photography from an extensive on-island photo shoot recently completed by Tambourine.
Adjectives will constantly be changing depending on the focus of specific ads. For instance, when promoting St. Maarten as a wedding and honeymoon destination, an ad may read: “PAASSIONATE ST. MAARTEN.” When conveying St. Maarten as an active vacation playground, an audience could see: “PLAAYFUL ST. MAARTEN.”
A just-launched public relations campaign to promote winter specials for vacationers is using “SENSAATIONAL ST. MAARTEN” to capture the extraordinary deals that are now available.
Other words designed for the campaign include: MAAGICAL, GLAAMOROUS, CHAARMING, and ENCHAANTING.
“We are very proud of our diversity with a wide range of attractions and activities, a variety of accommodations, more than 300 quality restaurants and our central location which enables vacationers to enjoy day trips to other islands,” explained Commissioner Richardson. “This campaign allows us to tap into and highlight all the things that make St. Maarten an ideal vacation destination through words and phrases that truly represent how a traveler feels while on-island,” he added.
The branding campaign is part of an overall new marketing strategy being launched under the direction of Frans Richardson, the new Commissioner of Tourism, which coincides with the hiring of KTCpr, headed up by long-time Caribbean marketing and public relations specialist Richard S. Kahn. The new branding will encompass advertising, public relations, marketing and sales as well as a new website.
Tambourine (formerly Gideon-Cardozo Communications), based in South Florida, a full-service marketing firm specializing in advanced creative development is working closely with KTCpr on all aspects of the new marketing strategy.
“Our mission was to take St. Maarten in a new direction and illustrate how the island ‘feels’ rather than literally documenting the infrastructure of the island,” said Rafael Cardozo, president of Tambourine.
Cardozo added: “The concept is innovative and playful; the message is strong and memorable. In addition to the logos, the photo collection tells a story of the vacation experiences captured through movement, mood and expression. Most importantly the campaign is a true representation of the beauty and excitement of the destination.”
Video presentations (including 30-second, 60-second and extended spots) have been created for use in commercials, tradeshows, social networking sites, and in other mediums.
“We are excited about the new branding campaign and look forward to getting our messaging out to loyal vacationers to St. Maarten as well as those who have yet to experience our destination,” said Regina Labega, Director of Tourism for the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau. “Working with Tambourine to develop the new concept has been a great experience and we are very pleased with the results,” she added.
KTCpr, which oversees all marketing, public relations, sales, advertising and promotional efforts on behalf of St. Maarten, will incorporate the new branding in all future initiatives.