Collaborating to Market the Heart of N.C.
Three cities—Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point—were growing rapidly in central North Carolina and needed a unifying brand to encapsulate the region’s innovation, skilled workforce, strategic location and high quality of life. With a colorful new brand and website, the Carolina Core was born.
At the heart of North Carolina lies an emerging corridor between Winston-Salem and Fayetteville with four prime megasites, skilled talent and large-scale opportunity for global companies looking to make their next big move in the United States. While ripe with resources, the region needed a creative way to brand itself. DCI was charged with developing a new brand for this new region spanning traditional boundary lines.
DCI conducted more than 70 in-person interviews, led eight focus groups and surveyed 40 site selectors over a three-month period. Through this extensive research, DCI discovered that there was a desire to brand the region as more than just their megasites. With that insight in mind, DCI created a new and innovative brand that channels the region’s history and forward-looking focus.
DCI developed a new “Carolina Core: Your Next Big Move” brand for the region, consisting of interchangeable taglines and the Carolina Core name – with four squares representing the four megasites in different colors that could be “owned” by each of the properties while working well together. In addition to the new brand, DCI created a messaging platform and economic development marketing strategy.
Following the marketing blueprint, DCI was engaged for an ongoing marketing program to activate the plan. Our work encompassed site selection consultant outreach, digital advertising, media relations, e-newsletters and more.
