With several qualified agencies vying for the opportunity to create a new advertising approach for the Branson/Lakes Area, leadership of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB is announcing their choice for the 2005 branding and advertising campaign. The nationally-respected Kuhn & Wittenborn of Kansas City was selected based on their experience, their proven commitment to research-based campaigns and their overall industry track record.

“They understand where we’re going and what we’re trying to achieve,” said Ross Summers, president and CEO of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber & CVB. “That was clear during the selection process when they showed genuine interest in our branding campaign and expressed strong support for the branding study, saying it was a great foundation upon which to build a creative campaign. They also conducted their own focus groups and preliminary research to enhance their knowledge of our product.”

Selected by Chamber members and staff, Kuhn & Wittenborn (K & W) will now lead the second phase of the branding campaign initiative.* K & W’s client log includes work with Sprint, Microsoft and Crown Center Corporation, which owns Hallmark. Destination and tourism marketing is also key to their resume having headed up work with the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City, the Kansas Speedway, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun, and the Kansas City Zoo.

“With the support from our community, our members and our city, we are confident that K & W will help us achieve our long-term goal of seeing first time visitation numbers increase,” said Summers.

K & W is the 2003 recipient of the American Business Ethics Award, recognizing the agency’s commitment to ethical practices in their everyday operation and philosophies.

Branding Workshops Offered
Chamber officials say while K & W works on creative concepts for 2005, area businesses can learn about incorporating branding strategies into their own marketing and advertising campaigns during community branding sessions presented by the Chamber’s vice president of marketing and public relations, Dan Lennon and brand marketing consultant, Linda Antus.

The free public sessions will help area businesses understand the Chamber’s recent branding research findings, interpret the branding study’s recommendations for targeting new visitors, and be updated on the Chamber’s brand advertising campaign.

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