telling a community's story to the world
(and 35,000 delegates, media and VIP's)
When the Queen City was chosen to host the 2012 Democratic National Convention, solid created "We Make It Possible", an immersive, shared brand experience to welcome 35,000 delegates, media and VIP's, engage the local community and catalyze a legacy of positive impact in the local and state community long past the end of the Convention. The brand was articulated through a robust campaign that included digital and social media, paid and earned media, on-site brand activation, live events and volunteer engagement opportunities. Key to the effort was creation of a coalition of economic, governmental, arts/culture, non-profit, academic and philanthropic organizations to drive the "We Make It Possible" brand experience out through shared channels and networks, leveraging the campaign to much higher levels of exposure than otherwise would have been possible using host committee resources singularly.
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The Charlotte in 2012 logo reflects the Queen City's skyline and is constructed with words that both tell a short story and reflect the input of hundreds of Charlotte-Mecklenburg citizens sharing what they love most about their community. (collaborative credit to K2Forma)
A strategic, multi-platform Charlotte in 2012 brand experience gave key audiences comprehensive points of access into the narrative and leveraged brand assets to exposure to millions of people across the nation and around the world.
Charlotte, NC was introduced to the world through locally-produced “We Make It Possible”, a 5-minute video premiered during the 2012 Democratic National Convention to welcome 35,000 visitors to the city and engage the community in this historic event. The film was concepted, created and scripted by solid, produced by local film production teams and features content drawn from dozens of collaborating organizations in the Queen City.
Local youth, dancers, choreographers, production crew and volunteers came together to create the "We Make It Possible" video, providing not only a video worthy of sharing with 35,000 delegates in the Convention arena as an official welcome, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the youth and their families.
The "We Make It Possible" brand marque and multi-channel, immersive experience is unveiled to community and convention leaders by Mayor Anthony Foxx. The graphic is more than just an skyline, it is also a message. The logo depicts the uptown Charlotte skyline formed from words and phrases shared by local community members during pre-convention gatherings. People were asked, “what would you share with visitors to our city and region that makes you proud?”
Welcoming before, during and after the convention, an integrated digital outreach component of the Charlotte in 2012 brand experience included the host committee website, Cltin20212 social media and mobile app. An Augmented Reality (AR) easter egg feature through the app and activated by viewing the Charlotte in 2012 logo through a smart phone linked viewers to short welcoming videos. Visitors could explore the Charlotte region in advance of arriving, find up-to-the-minute updates during their stay and go back to relive memories of their Charlotte in 2012 experience following the convention.
Content featured on all platforms was drawn from partner organizations representing economic development, arts and culture, tourism, hospitality, social cause and NGO messaging under the Charlotte in 2012 umbrella brand.
Visual brand activation across the Charlotte region greeted visitors at key touch points in the brand experience, including brand activation at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, all official host hotels throughout the region, shopping and entertainment venues, cultural facilities, street and highway signage, welcome packet collateral materials, volunteer costuming and digital signage.
Each of the 60 Carolina Stories videos produced for Charlotte in 2012 highlighted key messages to extend the "we make it possible" brand narrative about the Charlotte region to over 35,000 guests and the local regional community of convention hosts.
A Charlotte in 2012 Kids Convention brought the experience of a national convention to life for children. The Kids Convention was produced in collaboration with local organizations including Generation Nation, the YMCA, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and real estate site partners. Charlotte in 2012 brand activation carried through the event and tied this community experience to the overall comprehensive marketing and branding campaign.
Take a look at the Kids Convention - video at left!
Paid media in USAirways magazine and other outlets over six months prior to the Convention helped to share the Charlotte in 2012 story and build economic development profile of the Charlotte region to hundreds of thousands outside the 35,000 who came to the Queen City for the 2012 DNC. Featured content linked to Charlotte in 2012 digital assets as a part of the overall brand experience.
The "Make It Possible" mobile app provided both community residents and visitors to Charlotte before and during the Convention a customized Charlotte in 2012 experience, matching their interests with local places, people, recreational, historic and cultural features of the community. Pet lovers could find local doggy day care and veterinary facilities while special audiences such as LGBT visitors were connected with an inclusive message and community resources. (developed in partnership with AT&T)
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx created legacy programs to ensure the impact of the 2012 Democratic National Convention would be felt across the community for many years after the closing gavel of the convention. The “We Make It Possible” brand theme underpinned messaging for the four legacies in outreach to thousands of volunteers and participants in Charlotte in 2012 legacy programs.
The Charlotte in 2012 Legacy Village extended the We Make It Possible brand experience to the community, visitors and the media through a festival of volunteer opportunities and hands-on activities. The Legacy Village was created through the collaborative efforts of Charlotte in 2012 staff, community volunteers, leading local community organizations and institutions and SOLID expertise to "walk the walk" of DNC2012 Convention positive legacy impacts across the community.
Take a look at an overview of the Charlotte in 2012 brand experience. Questions? Contact us - we are happy to share what we learned!
Collaboration is a solid value. We were fortunate to work with a fantastic team of people, organizations and institutions to bring concepts to life and make the Charlotte in 2012 brand experience possible in a once-in-a-lifetime effort. Credits and thanks to: K2Forma, Wray Ward, Adam Roth for fantastic collaborative brand activation, the Arts & Science Council, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Charlotte Area Transit System, Charlotte Center City Partners, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte Regional Partnership, Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Shout outs to core team members: leader Dan Murrey, fearless Dockery Clark, multi-talented Liz Barrett, level-headed Suzi Emmerling, steady Josh Field, photo/vid genius Daniel Sircar, digital guru Dusty Trice, Legacy Village guru Jeff Mallare, volunteer diva Courtney Counts, events czarina Mary Tribble. Carolinas Stories teams high-fives: priceless miscellaneous; Scott Lazes and Kevin Beatty; Lashawnda Becoats and Tonya Jameson. Most of all, to the people of Charlotte and the region - YOU made it possible.