ALABAMA’S BEACHES
Brand Development
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Situation
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism has long promoted a beloved destination on Alabama’s coastline, especially for those seeking serenity. The core challenge they faced was standing out in a crowded market where beach destinations tend to blend together with similar marketing approaches.
Shifting their brand to “Alabama’s Beaches,” which includes both Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, focused on elevating the notion of relaxation into something distinct. The goal became clear: create a brand that embodies the unique experience of recharging at the beach — a ‘beach recharge’ — and translate this into a visual and voice identity that speaks to fun, energy, and unpretentious ease.
This rebrand was necessary not only to maintain relevance in a competitive market but to offer a fresh and compelling story for Alabama’s Beaches, ensuring they stand out as the ultimate destination for visitors seeking more than just a typical beach getaway.
Approach
Madden approached the rebrand holistically. Generally, beach destination marketing can look and feel similar, and so our main goal was tackling an all-important branding component: a differentiated point of view that highlighted Alabama’s Beaches unique qualities.
We conducted focus groups and various forms of research, talking to hundreds of previous and future visitors to Alabama’s Beaches, to better understand sentiments across key groups of potential travelers: legacy visitors, or visitors who are regularly visiting Alabama’s Beaches, new and first-time visitors, and those who have never visited.
Of those groups, the primary emotion driving decisions to visit Alabama’s Beaches was that of relaxation. This helped set the tone for us to dive further into the emotion-evoking components that were pivotal to the visual identity.
The question then became, how do we differentiate the idea of a beach destination relaxation? We turned our focus to better understand the idea of ‘recharging’ and what that meant specifically for visitors of Alabama’s Beaches.
In Alabama’s Beaches, you don’t just recharge. You beach recharge.
RESULTS
- 136% increase in engaged sessions year over year
- 76% increase in overall website engagement year over year
- 103% increase in page views year over year
- Paid media channels Madden manages grew 29% in Total Users year over year
BRAND IDENTITY & POSITIONING
What’s in a name? For Alabama’s Beaches. It’s pure magic in every grain of sand. This fresh identity redefines what it means to unwind at the beach, positioning Alabama’s Beaches as the ultimate destination for recharging.
BRAND VOICE
Alabama’s Beaches brand voice centers around the unique concept of ‘beach recharge,’ elevating the idea of relaxation into a distinct, stress-free experience that sets it apart from typical beach destinations. With an unpretentious, fun, and energetic brand voice, the brand positioning appeals to both loyal visitors and first-time travelers, emphasizing the serene, unhurried charm of its sugar sand shores.
ONGOING MEDIA STRATEGY & PLANNING
In addition to the rebranding efforts, Madden seamlessly manages media strategy and placements for Alabama’s Beaches. From strategic ad placements that align with the fun, energetic tone of the ‘beach recharge’ concept to working closely with media outlets to craft compelling narratives, Madden’s media team handles everything. Whether it’s digital campaigns targeting first-time visitors or nostalgic reminders for long-time fans, we create tailored strategies that amplify the relaxed, unpretentious charm of Alabama’s Beaches, inviting everyone to experience the magic for themselves.
A FRESH START WITH FAMILIAR HEART
In a world of same, Alabama’s Beaches dares to be different from every other beach destination. We showcased the unique qualities that make these beaches serene, nostalgic, and an easy “yes” to prospective travelers.
CREATIVITY ROOTED IN RELAXATION
The new identity emphasizes windswept sands, like a gentle wave of relaxation. The visual identity encourages people to embrace an easy, authentic way of life, capturing the essence of Alabama’s Beaches—a place where we can truly escape the stresses of everyday life.
