South Carolina’s Hammock Coast

Situation

South Carolina’s Hammock Coast faced two main challenges. First, no one knew who they were. Second, they needed to differentiate from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Madden set out to create a new unique brand for the DMO that would help the destination gain brand awareness, set itself apart from its in-state competitor, and give it a new, fresh brand identity.

Approach

After auditing competitors of South Carolina’s Hammock Coast, we found that the DMO was marketing to its target audience with old creative assets and a shabby brand while its competitors were utilizing modern fonts and logos with high-quality images. A rebranding effort for South Carolina’s Hammock Coast was badly needed.

We set out to highlight the brand pillars that differentiated South Carolina’s Hammock Coast from its competitors: pristine, beautiful beaches, coastal vibes; laid-back, approachable community; undiscovered, deep history; enchanting family vacation; upscale yet not stuffy; outdoor adventures; and wildlife viewing and birding. Madden’s creative team developed concepts around these themes for the brand logo, colors, tagline, and creative assets.

With a new brand, South Carolina’s Hammock Coast also needed a new, evergreen brand campaign that was flexible and could be tailored to their different intent-based audiences. Madden created the “Little Things, Big Moments” campaign to show the quiet, laid-back atmosphere of the destination while highlighting the different experiences. 

Once the brand and assets were finalized, we incorporated South Carolina’s Hammock Coast’s new visuals and content elements across all brand channels. We kicked off promotion with social ads, display ads, and print ads.

Results