Lac La Biche County, The Region and Bold Centre

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Elevating Lac La Biche County, the Region and Bold Centre Brands

Lac La Biche County is a specialized municipality spanning more than 12,000 square kilometres in northeast Alberta. Known for its natural beauty, diversity, safety and strong economic indicators, the County has a mix of tradition and progress, and offers an excellent community for visitors to explore, businesses to invest in, or residents to call home.

Lac La Biche Region encompasses the County and the Indigenous communities of Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement, Heart Lake First Nation and Kikino Metis Settlement. Surrounded by the incredible woods and waters of the Lakeland, consisting of more than 100 lakes and campsites, cultural experiences, and outdoor activities, Lac La Biche Region is the perfect place to experience authentic outdoor adventure, cultural connections and must-see events.

The Bold Centre opened in January 2011 and provides twin arenas, two field houses with elevated seating, a running track, a community hall, fitness and boxing areas, a curling rink, meeting rooms and the Stuart MacPherson public library for the community. The Centre plays host to not only dozens of sports and recreation uses but also allows for different community and industry events and social experiences.

Incite undertook a transformative initiative in 2021 to redefine the Lac La Biche County brand identity, along with their sub-brands, Lac La Biche Region and Bold Centre.

The Work

This project aimed to create a stronger sense of community identity and support economic growth across the investment and visitors’ markets. Through a multi-phased approach, Incite answered the critical questions of:

What do the three brands mean to Lac La Biche County?
How are they a reflection of the community character, aspirations and values?
What do prospective visitors, residents and investors value in community?

Defining Brand Significance Through Community Engagement

The project launched with a comprehensive exploration of the three brands. Incite led a thorough community engagement process, soliciting insights from key stakeholders, including County staff, community members, partners and local organizations with a three-pronged approach of roundtables, interviews and surveys. This internal and external feedback played a pivotal role in defining the inherent meaning and significance of these brands, ensuring an inclusive, community-driven approach.

Leveraging the insights from community engagement, Incite developed an in-depth assessment of the gaps between the County’s present position and its ideal state. By gaining a deeper understanding of the community’s sentiments, attitudes and aspirations, Incite identified opportunities for strategic growth.

Crafting a Comprehensive Brand Strategy

The Country required a comprehensive Brand Strategy to encompass all three brands. What key messages should each brand convey? What made each brand unique, compared to competing communities and regions? This strategy aimed to harmonize internal and external perceptions, bridging gaps in stakeholder experiences and fostering a united vision. The Brand Strategy encompassed market positioning, the articulation of brand experiences, formulation of key messaging, and establishment of a cohesive brand architecture that interlinked the three brands seamlessly.

”Incite took the time to truly understand Lac La Biche County, our brand and our goals to ensure that our municipality's unique strengths were effectively represented in our branding project. In a way that I've experienced with few other third-party firms, Incite ensured the final product elevated our brand identity and story while feeling authentic to who we are and aspire to be. I would recommend Incite to any organization looking to elevate their branding and marketing strategy without hesitation.
Jihad MoghrabiManager of Marketing, Communications and Engagement for Lac La Biche County

Creating Harmonious Visual Identities

Recognizing the synergy between the County brand and the Region and Bold Centre brands, the project recommended the creation of new visual identities to create better alignment with the Lac La Biche Region and Bold Centre. These visual identities were thoughtfully designed to resonate with the established County brand, resulting in a consistent look throughout the County that reinforces the established brand architecture. The interconnected visual identities facilitate seamless collaboration among the brands, bolstering their collective impact.

Strategizing Implementation for Lasting Impact

To ensure the successful rollout of the brand strategies, Incite crafted and delivered an Implementation Plan that details actionable activities and initiatives for both in-region and in-market initiatives. The plan provided specific deliverables and anticipated outcomes required to stimulate awareness and buy-in from the community. Mindful of resource constraints, the Implementation Plan detailed a precise timeline, clarified roles and responsibilities among stakeholders and provided a project specific budget.

Igniting Awareness Through a Dynamic Marketing Campaign

With a well-defined Brand Strategy and an actionable Implementation Plan in place, the project culminated in the development of a marketing campaign. Crafted to amplify awareness and recognition across local audiences, the campaign centered around a meaningful theme rooted in the community’s essence. This creative concept aligned with the newly forged positioning, messaging and branding. The campaign’s versatile visual elements were adaptable across diverse mediums, ensuring a consistent and impactful visual presence.

Empowering the County with a Clear Brand Identity

The culmination of the project resulted in a transformation of Lac La Biche County’s brand identity. County leadership and stakeholders now possess a clear understanding of each brand’s visual and verbal identity. Armed with cohesive messaging, they are poised to communicate consistently, fostering a unified brand architecture across communication channels, economic development and tourism initiatives. The distinct yet interrelated brand identities empower Lac La Biche County to invigorate community engagement and propel economic growth.

”Redefining the story of this unique Alberta community meant gaining a real understanding of not only what the County has to offer visitors and investors, but also of the people that call it home. Our work with the Lac La Biche County team was built on the strength of the partnership and the ability to work collaboratively in redefining what it means to live, work and play in the community. By focusing on the value that Lac La Biche County delivers to prospective residents and visitors, we helped set a course for the County that is authentic to the community, while looking forward to future opportunities.
Jesse MeyerPartner, Incite