At a recent BC Association of Integrated Marketers luncheon,
Caley Denton, VP of Ticketing and Consumer Marketing for VANOC, explained that
what may ultimately determine the brand perception of the 2010 Winter Olympics might not be the colourful identity, nor the mass advertising, not even the
major sponsors and their encouraging words of belief and celebration. The
success, or otherwise, of the brand could very well rest on the courtesy of a
single bus driver on a rainy day.
What Denton was referring to is what we at Karo think about
every day: how people’s perceptions of a brand are informed by both tangible
and intangible touch points — and how those intangible aspects are often the
most resonant. For instance, long after they’ve forgotten what they paid for
the tickets, visitors to Vancouver will remember the smiles of helpful
attendants or the roar of the crowd when a goal is scored.
As a creative agency, we seek to understand and define a
brand’s intangible assets and work with clients to create the right experience
for their customers. In our work with the City of Vancouver, we’ve done just
that.
Finding your way to the Vancouver experience
In a few days’ time, the world will experience Vancouver in
all its splendour. From the Vancouver International Airport and the Canada Line
to its arts, sports and recreation venues, the City of Vancouver has invested a
great deal to ensure that the legacy of the Olympic Games endures long after
the flame has been extinguished.
But when 250,000+ visitors descend on Vancouver, in addition
to the 2 million residents of Greater Vancouver, a key challenge is to ensure
that the experience of finding their way among the crowds and traffic does not
become a sore point. To address that, the City of Vancouver has been working
with Karo for over two years to develop a comprehensive pedestrian wayfinding
and signage system.
Above: One of the first signs installed outside the Telus World of Science; Below right: Clear, recognizable signs become go-to places for information and assurance.
At the end of January, the City began to install the first
of an estimated 230 signs throughout Vancouver’s neighbourhoods. The 10'2"
signs include detailed neighbourhood maps, lists of the top attractions and
transportation information. Above the maps in prime locations, additional
directional signage will highlight key destinations. During the Games, this
signage program will help hundreds of thousands of visitors and residents find
their way around and discover new events and attractions.
Charles Gauthier, executive director of the Downtown
Vancouver Business Improvement Association, agrees that the signage will have a
positive impact on how the world views Vancouver. “After years of consultation
and collaboration, the newly installed wayfinding maps are top-notch and
reconfirm Vancouver’s reputation as a world-class city,” he says.
If you’ve ever been lost in a new city, you can appreciate
the subtle (perhaps even subconscious) yet positive experience Vancouver’s
visitors will have when they can easily find their way around. It’s this kind
of experience that will shape perceptions, get shared in conversations and
enhance Vancouver’s Olympic legacy.