For over 40 years, The Kitsap Building Association [KBA] has presented the Peninsula Home & Remodel Expo. Located in Kitsap County, Washington, the Expo connects consumers to industry leaders and trendsetters from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. It’s a weekend filled with inspiration and information for all kinds of home design and home improvement projects.
KBA was looking to refresh the brand and develop a marketing push outside of their local area.
Our Approach
After visiting several Northwest home shows, we had our footing. We began this campaign with defining and refining the vision of the Expo. Our strategy included implementing a fundraising component for KBA’s incredible Builder Grant Program which provides on-the-job training and seed money for young people looking to get their start in the building industry.
Our challenge was to develop a cohesive brand and marketing campaign not only through the primary driver of a home expo, but also for seven sub-branded, adjacent events throughout the three-day weekend. We developed touchpoints that included a new website, direct response, social media, email marketing, and a PR campaign in conjunction with our partner k Public Relations.
Our Execution
First, our team pared down the elements of the parent logo. We reduced the complexity of imagery and palette, while adding weight and focus through type and color. Six of the seven sub-brands were also refreshed to live as a family. A new, energetic color palette with strong brights for the late spring / early summer season was developed. Taking a cue from the previous set of logos, the sub-brands contained the parent logo. Preserving the purple of the parent, a unique second color was assigned to each sub-brand. This allows each event to stand on its own without overshadowing the main Expo logo.
Additionally, the sub-brands were designed to tell a small story. The LEGO® Building Challenge showcases building blocks supporting the Expo logo. LEGOs are often the “a-ha moment” for kids to get hooked on building. The Wildlife & Reptile Show features a lizard tucked along the edge of the Expo logo with a nod to a trio of ducklings marching along the top. And the Car & Motorcycle Show adds speed, tipping the Expo logo slightly.
With our visual identity solidified, we moved to the website. This was the first, fully-dedicated website for the Peninsula Home & Remodel Expo. No more singular landing pages inside of other sites. We worked with their team to secure a dedicated URL and developed the strategy for UI / UX and content.
Through the field study of attending other shows, we learned what was helpful and what was missing from other show sites. In an effort to entice visitors outside of Kitsap County, we created a “Plan Your Visit” page. This page allowed viewers to get the basics (tickets, location, directions, FAQs) along with suggestions on how to make a weekend out of it by linking to the “Visit Kitsap” website.
In addition to a refreshed suite of brand materials, we took a deep dive into the Exhibitor experience. How could we help them get the most from their participation? We developed questionnaires to learn more about exhibitors, helping us promote them to homeowners. Flyers were designed for exhibitor distribution purposes, with the ability to customize with their booth number and contact information. Additionally, we featured exhibitors in both our social media posts and PR pitches.
For target attendees, a marketing and PR campaign was developed to reach new audiences. A direct mail piece was sent to thousands of residents of Kitsap County as well as neighboring counties in the Seattle-area. Social media profiles were created on Facebook and Instagram with continuous postings leading up to the event. An expansion of media outreach beyond the peninsula provided exposure in Seattle and across the state.
