New marketing plan dubs this area "The Beach"
Joyce Owen, Florida Freedom Newspapers
Thursday February 7th, 2008
After 13 months of planning, the previously unknown Coastal Vision 3000 Committee unveiled a plan to unify and strengthen the identity of Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Gulf counties. Committee chairman Buddy Runnels presented the committee?s proposal for ?The Beach? at the Feb. 6 Walton Area Chamber?s Power of Business luncheon at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
Runnels is founder and chairman of the board of Sterling Companies and Cornerstone Development.
Last year, he said, business leaders met to try to attract more airlines to this area. Airlines operators indicated this is a fractured area, with no strong identity, therefore it was hard to market the communities to travelers.
?Southwest Airlines wanted something with 20 letters or less for its billboard advertising and the commercials with ding!? Runnels said,
The airlines also said with so many different communities and leaders, it was hard to who the decision maker was at each entity.
Members of the business community decided it was time to join forces, and the result is Coastal Vision 3000.
?Coastal Vision 3000 is an unprecedented effort to bring together business leaders from Northwest Florida coastal counties to grow our market to everyone?s benefit,? Runnels said. ?For too long, we?ve all tried to go it alone. By working together, we will be able to forge a strong regional identity and of Northwest Florida?s wonderful beach destinations.
?We are joining together to accomplish common objectives that we could never accomplish alone,? he said.
Members of the business community, identified as founders and stewards, have contributed money to fund the program.
At the conclusion of the presentation, individuals and business owners were encouraged to become involved by making contributions ranging from $500 to $15,000.
?How does it define us?? Bea Reynolds, owner of Bea?s Interiors, in South Walton, asked. ?There are a lot of beaches in Florida, just saying ?The Beach? could mean Daytona Beach or Miami Beach.?
Lane Rees, a Walton County resident and owner of Human Resource Solutions also in South Walton and a former Walton County commissioner, said he had questions about the proposal, but his initial reaction was to the color chosen. The logo ?The Beach? is white on an orange background.
?Our beaches aren?t orange,? Rees said.
Walton GOP -- As a leader within the Republican Party, which is well known for its savvy marketing strategies ;-), do you really believe that this is an ideal approach to market the beaches of the Panhandle?
