LAKE CHARLES, La. (October 18, 2019)—The Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau (Visit Lake Charles) revealed a new brand for the destination earlier today at the Golden Nugget Lake Charles, surrounded by colleagues, community leaders and hospitality industry executives from around the country. Miles Partnership, a strategic marketing company focused exclusively on travel and tourism, conducted an extensive and detailed research study to determine the brand essence of Southwest Louisiana.

While in market, Miles Partnership interviewed stakeholders and explored the destination. The team also conducted online surveys to learn more about what visitors and residents think about Southwest Louisiana. Additionally, they worked with Downs & St. Germain Research Firm to perform focus groups in Houston and Dallas to hear directly from consumers about their perceptions and experiences.

“It is so important to completely assess branding creative and messaging for every destination. The assets of an area evolve and develop over time, and along with that, the messaging needs to shift to align with the reality of the destination’s offerings, attractions and experiences. Miles Partnership did a thorough evaluation, and the research speaks for itself for the new brand and direction for marketing Southwest Louisiana,” said Kyle Edmiston, president/CEO of Visit Lake Charles.

The idea that rose to the top across all market segments is that Lake Charles is a mixture of contrasts. There is an intriguing juxtaposition that exists to create the identity of Lake Charles as a destination. It’s what makes Lake Charles stand out when considering the abundance of casino resort experiences compared to the natural wonders found alongside the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road. One statement from the brand position that resonated with the focus groups was “a little black dress paired with flip flops.” The attitude of the people is friendly and outgoing, and the destination as a whole was described as a place to have fun, unwind and relax – hence – “Louisiana’s Playground,” the new tagline for Visit Lake Charles.

“The most remarkable observation with the research study was that the logo and brand essence both surfaced in an obvious way for Visit Lake Charles. The focus groups almost unanimously chose the new logo design from a pool of selections, and that means that the new direction for the brand is solid and has a high probability to strongly resonate with target markets. The idea of the juxtaposition of nature compared to luxury rang true with frequent travelers to Lake Charles. The Miles Partnership team is looking forward to seeing the new brand yield results for the destination,” said Jay Salyers, Senior Vice President at Miles Partnership.

For a full brand description, guidelines and a view of marketing materials, go to VisitLakeCharles.org/Brand