The Denton Chamber of Commerce needed help in a big way.
CLIENT
Denton Chamber of Commerce
DATE
March 2016
SKILLS
Print Design
Web Design
Web Development
Logo Design
Marketing Strategy
New Brand Development
THE RACE
The Denton Chamber of Commerce needed a full branding and marketing package, and they needed it fast.
Luckily for them, we’re marketing speed demons — and we understand the value of a quick turnaround.
The Denton Chamber of Commerce had a big idea — partner with the University of North Texas and the Denton Area Running Club to put on a 5K, a 5K that would benefit Denton.
Not only would this provide a fun new annual activity for the Denton community and give Denton businesses the opportunity to give back to their community, but the proceeds would also benefit the new Mayor’s Summer Youth Jobs Program, one that could make a really make a difference in the lives of at-risk youth.
They dubbed it The Denton Means Business 5K Fun Run (based off the Denton Chamber of Commerce official hashtag of course), a race to coincide with game day. And not your average race either — this one has snacks and beer at the end of it.
Free beer? Free snacks? We’re there!
THE PROBLEM
The main problem was this — approval came through, and time was already short. They needed to start promoting this thing, and start fast.
They also had nothing in terms of branding — it all had to be built from scratch. They needed a website, logo, posters, banners, flyers — you name it, they needed it.
It also had to be professional. A 5K that doesn’t get many runners is no 5K at all, and a second year is questionable without a large turnout in the first.
It also needed to be very Denton-y — this is the Denton Chamber of Commerce we’re talking about here. If it doesn’t feel like Denton, with all this crazy city’s quirks, it’s not going to last.
And it had to be fun — second nature to us 😀
THE BLUE STEELE SOLUTIONS
We went to work, knocking out problems left and right. There were more than a few items on the list, so we set about creating them one by one.
Denton is iconic, but there’s one icon that stands out above the rest.
The courthouse.
When people think of Denton, they think of the courthouse. It towers above everything else in the area and makes an impression on all who see it.
It’s in the chamber logo, and it needed to be in this logo.
And hey! There it is! Hidden right in the sole of the shoe.
The logo needed to be fun, fresh, Denton-y, and run-centric. Incorporating all those things took some out-of-the-box thinking, but we burned that stupid box a long time ago, so knocking it out quick was a snap.
Logos are critical touch points for any brand — once we’d created the logo (along with the associated colors and typefaces), we could start thinking about the website.
THE WEBSITE
Showcasing the new brand and getting people excited about the run is the name of the game here, so a simple, one-page website was the obvious solution.
We built it into sections (as most one page websites are built), with spaces for sponsorship, race information, schedule of events, and a place for registration.
The main goal of the website was to pass on information, show sponsor logos and support, and incorporate one critical branded image — the courthouse. So, that’s exactly what we did.
Just take a look for yourself.
FLYER AND REGISTRATION FORM
Of course, no race would be complete without flyers and registration forms.
As much as we’d love to have people sign up online (and well before the race starts), we know better.
And some people just prefer paper — we understand 😀
The registration forms made signing up a snap, and the flyer gave the Denton Chamber a simple way to help sponsors and other businesses assist with marketing efforts.
A handful of flyers in the right place can make all the difference.
POSTERS AND BANNERS
Taking visual cues from the scoreboards (remember, this is all taking place around a UNT football game), we created a handful of posters and banners that had the same task as the website:
Display the branding, display it prominently, and make sure the sponsors felt like they got their money’s worth.
Spending money for a sponsorship spot is no bueno if it’s unclear you’re sponsoring — so we made the sponsor logos large and in charge while still pushing the courthouse.
THE BEGINNING OF A TRADITION
Starting annual events is a tough business, but everyone agreed that the Denton Means Business 5K Fun Run was a huge success.
Not only did it drive new fans to the UNT football game, but it also brought awareness to the Denton Chamber of Commerce while helping out the community.
And all in a handful of weeks.
Success? We think so.
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