Branding the Pee Dee Region · Bay in Georgetown County and include the world famous Grand Strand....

Pee Dee Region

Branding the

1PEE DEE REGION | SOUTH CAROLINA

INTRODUCTION TO THE PEE DEEThe Pee Dee is composed of 10 counties (Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Lee, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg) and contains the coastal and inland regions of South Carolina’s northeastern corner. The region’s beaches stretch from the North Carolina state line to the Winyah Bay in Georgetown County and include the world famous Grand Strand. On the coast, the area is predominantly involved in tourism and resorts with beaches, amusement parks, shopping, fishing, and golf. The area has become a popular retirement location in the U.S., in part because of its low cost of living and its many golf courses. The inland of the region is anchored by Florence, located at the lower watershed of the Pee Dee River. The river is named after the Pee Dee Native American tribe. Inland is a belt featuring rivers, marshes, carolina bays and sandy rises where forestry is predominant, with pine plantations and baldcypress timbering. Further inland, on higher ground, is an agricultural belt of tobacco, cotton, soybeans and produce. The Pee Dee has a population of about 729,449 and Table 1 shows the different counties of the Pee Dee with their respective populations.

2 PEE DEE REGION | SOUTH CAROLINA

tobacco played an important role in the early growth of the region


Both cotton and tobacco played an important role in the early growth of the region, and the South Carolina Cotton Trail was developed to showcase the era. The Tobacco Museum is located in the historic train depot in Mullins and depicts farm life and the growing of the “golden leaf” prior to 1950. Many other Pee Dee towns boast fascinating museums displaying local artifacts. The region also hosts a number of annual festivals including the Cotton Festival, the Tobacco Festival, ArtFields, the Sweet Potato Festival, the Quilt Festival, the Barbeque Shag Festival, the Greek Festival, the Catfish Festival, and the Black Heritage Arts Festival.

Counties Total Pop Urban Pop(%)

Inside Urbanized

Areas

Inside Urban Clusters Rural Pop(%) Farm Nonfarm

Persons per sq mile

(Total)

Chesterfield 46,734 12,260(26.2) 0 12,260 34,474(73.8) 4,431 30,043 58.5

Darlington 68,681 29,008(42.2) 13,883 15,125 39,673(57.8) 2,942 36,731 122.4

Dillon 32,062 9,777(30.5) 0 9,777 22,285(69.5) 2,275 20,010 79.2

Florence 136,885 84,159(61.5) 75,674 8,485 52,726(38.5) 4,776 47,950 171.1

Georgetown 60,158 35,182(58.5) 7,539 27,643 24,976(41.5) 418 24,558 73.9

Horry 269,291 187,492(69.6) 187,486 6 81,799(30.4) 7,596 74,203 237.5

Lee 19,220 5,391(28) 0 5,391 13,829(72) 433 13,396 46.9

Marion 33,062 12,976(39.2) 0 12,976 20,086(60.8) 837 19,249 67.6

Marlboro 28,933 13,006(45) 0 13,006 15,927(55) 4,169 11,758 60.3

Williamsburg 34,423 6,218(18.1) 0 6,218 28,205(81.9) 1,758 26,447 36.8

Source: 2010 U.S. Census

Comparison by the Pee Dee Region Counties by Population (Urban, Rural, and Density Per Square Mile)

Tourism is critical for the economic sustainability of the Pee Dee and for South Carolina in general. It is projected that tourism accounts for more than $15 billion in spending in the state and employs roughly 10% of the state’s work-force. In the Pee Dee, the estimated total tourism expenditures in 2013-14 were $4.3 billion, generating over 44,000 jobs. Table 4 shows the origin of out-of-state tourism markets for both day and overnight stays in the Pee Dee. In the Pee Dee, the estimated total tourism expenditures in 2013-14 were $4.3 billion, generating over 44,000 jobs (see Tables 2 and 3 for economic impact data).

Table 1:



Counties Expenditures ($ Millions)

Payroll ($Millions)

Employment ($ Thousands)

State Tax Receipts ($Millions)

Local Tax Receipts ($Millions)

Chesterfield 17.64 2.56 0.15 1.10 0.68

Darlington 34.35 4.81 0.27 2.16 0.94

Dillon 36.29 6.25 0.37 2.20 0.90

Florence 281.44 51.86 2.48 14.40 6.71

Georgetown 297.22 52.21 2.99 17.57 12.72

Horry 3,609.36 667.80 38.45 215.98 135.95

Lee 4.68 0.59 0.04 0.29 0.18

Marion 12.75 1.64 0.09 0.80 0.54

Marlboro 11.06 1.65 0.09 0.67 0.33

Williamsburg 9.34 1.03 0.06 0.60 0.29

Source: U.S. Travel Association, 2014

2013 Economic Impact of Travel to the Pee Dee

Counties Accommodation Tax ($ Thousand)

Admission Tax ($ Thousand)

Chesterfield 45.92 *

Darlington 90.62 60.27

Dillon 109.59 **

Florence 1,149.37 532.59

Georgetown 1,677.69 776.11

Horry 18,249.06 9,480.99

Lee 11.81 *

Marion 21.83 *

Marlboro 21.22 *

Williamsburg 13.34 *

* Counties with less than 5 businesses reporting are not disclosed** Due to annual accounting adjustment data not reportedSource: SCPRT, 2014

2013-2014 Accommodations Tax and Admission Tax in the Pee Dee

State of Origin Day Trip from Out-of State

Overnight Trips from

Out-of-State

North Carolina 18% 22%

Georgia 6% 9%

Florida 3% 5%

Virginia 1% 5%

Origin of Out-of-State Tourism Markets for both Day and Overnight Stay (Source: SCPRT, 2013)

Table 2:

Table 4:Table 3:


The region’s beaches stretch from the North Carolina state line to the Winyah Bay in Georgetown County and include the world famous Grand Strand.


BRANDING THE PEE DEE REGION OF SOUTH CAROLINAINTRODUCTION

In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, the need for towns, cities and regions to create a unique identity, to differentiate themselves from com-petitors, has become critical. Many places claim to have spectacular scenery, good quality of life, friendly people, and a sound business infrastructure. However, these factors are no longer differentiators, so places need a strong brand to stand out in order to attract people to live, work and play. The branding of places is not without its unique challenges, which go far beyond creating a compelling marketing campaign or a new logo. In fact, there continues to be confusion in the marketplace that a logo or an identity is all that constitutes a brand. These logos and promotional materials are often developed without a conducting research and/or a defined strategy. In additional limited input is provided by key stakeholder groups. As a result, brand strategy tends to be driven by short-term top-down approaches, with narrow-scope thinking through which the primary tool of brand expression becomes the marketing campaign executed through traditional media channels. Brand strategy should, however, more effectively be used as a tool of a broader economic development strategy, and should be built on a solid platform of research and planning.

In 2011/12, the SmartState Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism examined opportunities for tourism development in the Pee Dee region of South Caroli-na, and the results showed limited brand recognition and a need for innovative marketing to increase awareness of the region as an attractive place to visit or relocate. In this current project, funded by the Economic Development Adminis-tration, the Center built on this previous work by establishing a brand identity and marketing strategies for the ten-county region of the Pee Dee, a region plagued by high poverty and unemployment, low educational levels, and a high number of dislocated workers.

Working closely with the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, there were three critical phases to this brand-building project: 1) establishing the core values of the Pee Dee; 2) brand identity development; and 3) implementation.

PHASE 1: ESTABLISHING THE CORE VALUES OF THE PEE DEEThe first stage of this research focused on establishing the core values of the Pee Dee as a region and painting a picture of the future. The team conducted 28 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and decision makers, including local government officials, businesses owners/operators, community leaders

and Pee Dee residents. Participants provided input on how contemporary or relevant the existing brand was to today’s tourists, residents and businesses, how it compared with key competitors, and how the brand should be changed and strengthened to appeal to larger markets. The goal of this stage was to uncover and examine the key components and character of the Pee Dee to help insure the development of an authentic and local brand for the region. Inter-views took between 40 and 60 minutes, and were recorded and transcribed for analysis using NVivo software. The Pee Dee was described by respondents as being agricultural, homely, nature-oriented and growing, with a strong connection to the beaches on the coast. Other common words used to describe the region were historic, diverse, small town, southern and hospitable. When family and friends visit the Pee Dee, the majority of interviewees said that they take them to the beach, followed by museums and arts centers, parks, rivers, to outdoor activities like fishing and hunting, and to restaurants and farms.

Important to the quality of life of residents were the standard of education, the agricultural industry, the natural environment and healthcare (in order of importance). The most important features of the Pee Dee that would attract new residents, according to the interviewees, were employment opportunities, a good education, a vibrant community, and economic development, whereas new visitors were described as most likely to be attracted by the proximity to the beach, shopping opportunities and recreational activities (again in order of importance).

When reflecting on the current image or brand of the Pee Dee, the majority of respondents said the image was not a strong one, although some suggested the region was known for being friendly and welcoming. A few referred to a gener-al southern image of negativity. When asked to suggest their own marketing slogan for the Pee Dee, many focused on the history, offering slogans such as ‘experience yesteryear here’, and ‘we do it the old-fashioned way’, whilst others referred to the natural environment in slogans like ‘gnats are God’s way of mak-ing sure southerners wave’, and ‘the Pee Dee, where nature still lives.’ Others focused on the Pee Dee experience in slogans like ‘America’s recreation spot’, ‘land of adventure’, and ‘a clean, fun family place to live, so bring your family’.When interviewees were asked where they saw the Pee Dee in five, ten or twenty years into the future, some referred to continued growth, others discussed the challenges of this growth such as dealing with increased traffic, whereas some commented on the fact that the Pee Dee would have to work a lot harder to attract people to the area. Some respondents commented on tourism expansion specifically, envisioning more development around the waterways and increased adventure tourism activities in the region.

8 PEE DEE REGION | SOUTH CAROLINA8 PEE DEE REGION | SOUTH CAROLINA

As a result of this qualitative research, three positioning statements were developed that could be tested in Phase 2. These statements came under headings of: ‘the character of the people and the history of the region’; ‘the important connection to Myrtle Beach’; and ‘the rural environment and recreation opportunities’ (see Table 5).

PHASE 2: BRAND IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT Once the initial market investigation was complete, the next stage of the project involved the development of a brand identity for the region. A survey was administered to local businesses, visitors, and Pee Dee residents. Intercept surveys explored the perceptions towards the Pee Dee as a brand, the region’s image, and tested iterations of brand positioning. Survey questions were based on previous research and explored the dimensions and strength of the existing brand, exploring perceptions of destination personality, destination attributes and overall image. The last section measured perceptions towards the three brand propositions developed after Stage 1, asking questions such as: was the statement appropriate for the Pee Dee?; did it differentiate the Pee Dee from other regions?; would it encourage people to consider moving to the Pee Dee?; and was it credible and clear?

As can be seen in Table 6, a total of 278 usable surveys were collected with re-spondents made up of 126 residents, 117 visitors, and 35 local businesses.

Table 7 lists for each group their highest ranked personality descriptors for the region along with their perceived top rated attributes of the region.

Local business owners were primarily Caucasian (100%), married (67%), have bachelor’s degree or higher (72%), and have had business in the Pee Dee for more than 10 years (68%). Respondents were evenly split between genders. Only a third (32%) reported being satisfied with the current business climate in the Pee Dee (see Figure 1), but most of them are either likely (46%) or very likely (43%) to continue business in the Pee Dee in the next 5-10 years. Attributes most important to them in the Pee Dee were Nice weather, Good access to outdoor recreation areas, Special natural beauties, Family-friendly atmosphere, and Southern charm. They described the Pee Dee’s personality as Outdoorsy, Family friendly, Laid back, Down to earth and Cheerful (in that order), whereas they did not perceive the region to be Intelligent, Innovative, Original or Exciting. Although their overall image of the Pee Dee ranked fairly high on a scale of 1 to 7 (4.77), they were not so confident that the name ‘Pee Dee’ represented the northeastern region of South Carolina particularly well (m=3.37).

Table 5: Three positioning statements developed after Phase 1 and then tested in Phase 2

Statement 1: Positioned around the character of the people and the history of the region

The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is steeped in history and oozing with character. Be prepared for

traditional southern hospitality, reflected in the friendly, caring nature of our residents. The Pee Dee is

as authentic as it is inviting.

Statement 2: Positioned around the important connection to Myrtle Beach

The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is the gateway to some of the best beaches in the world, with plenty of

opportunities to play en route to the coast. But in contrast to the bustle of the coastal resorts, rural Pee Dee is small-town, slow-paced living. So make a day in the Pee Dee a

part of your beach holiday.

Statement 3: Positioned around the rural environment and recreation opportunities

The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is a cornucopia of unique farming communities, local foods, open spaces, nature, and rivers. Recreation opportunities are abundant,

so bring your fishing rod, kayak, and golf clubs. You are going to have fun!



The Pee Dee is America’s recreation spot and A land of adventure.


Survey group Surveys completed Gender Ethnicity Marital status Employment Work status

Business 35 50% Female 100% Caucasion 67% Married 68% had businesses in Pee Dee >10 years

Local business owner

Residents 126 33% Female 67% Caucasian 37% Married 26% Work in Pee Dee 60% Full-time

Visitors 117 35% Female 66% Caucasian 31% Married N/A 67% Full-time

Table 6: Survey respondent demographics

Table 7: The Pee Dee’s personality and destination attributes according to respondents

Survey Groups Top descriptors* Top attributes

Business Outdoorsy; Family-friendly; Laid back; Down to earth; Cheerful

Access to quality education; Access to quality health and medical services

Residents Outdoorsy; Family-friendly; Laid back; Down to earth; Peaceful

Access to quality education; Access to quality health and medical services

Visitors Family-friendly; Sincere; Fun; Outdoorsy; Cheerful

Family-friendly; Southern charm; Nice weather; Good reputation

*Words most often used to describe Pee Dee

12 PEE DEE REGION | SOUTH CAROLINA12 PEE DEE REGION | SOUTH CAROLINA

The majority of business owners (73.5%) did not think that the coastal counties of Horry (including Myrtle Beach) and Georgetown (i.e., the Grand Strand) should be included as part of the Pee Dee region. Residents who responded to the survey were primarily male (67%), Caucasian (67%), single (50%), have attended some college or associates degree (45%), em-ployed full time (60%), and have not worked in the hospitality/tourism industry in the Pee Dee (73.8%). Most of them are either very likely (48%) or likely (25%) to continue to live in the Pee Dee in the next 5-10 years. Pee Dee attributes most important to them were Family-friendly atmosphere, Southern charm, Nice weather, Close to other destinations, and A non-crowded area. Words or phrases most used to describe the personality of the Pee Dee were Outdoorsy, Family Friendly, Laid back, Down to earth, and Peaceful (in that order) (see Figure 2). Like local business owners, they did not perceive the region to be Intelligent, Innovative, or Exciting. Their overall image of the Pee Dee ranked higher than business owners (4.93), but again, they were not so confident that the name ‘Pee Dee’ represented the northeastern region of South Carolina particularly well (m=3.52). Contrary to the feelings of the business owners, only 45% of residents did not think that the coastal counties of Horry (including Myrtle Beach) and Georgetown (i.e., the Grand Strand) should be considered as part of the Pee Dee region. Of the visitors, the majority were male (65%), Caucasian (66%), single (58%), employed full-time (67%), and have attended some college or associate degree (41%) or hold a bachelor’s degree (30%). Pee Dee attributes most important to them were Family-friendly atmosphere, Southern charm, Nice weather, Good reputation, and Special natural beauties. Words or phrases visitors most used to describe the personality of the Pee Dee were Family Friendly, Sincere, Fun, Outdoorsy, and Cheerful. Visitors were also asked what attractions or activities in the Pee Dee interested them most, and these were Myrtle beach, Restaurants (Food and beverage), National/state parks, Outdoor activities (hunting, fishing, kayaking), and Events and festivals (see Figure 3).


Figure 1: Satisfaction with current business climate for existing business owners

Figure 2: The Pee Dee’s personality according to residents (mean values of 1 to 5)

Percentage

10.7% 10.7%

32.1% 32.1%

14.3%

VeryDissatisfied

Dissatiafied Neutral Satisfied VerySatisfied

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The Pee Dee region paintS a picture of the future.

Most of the visitors surveyed were either satisfied (41%) or very satisfied (35%) with their most recent visit to the Pee Dee, and most of them are either very likely (47%) or likely (29%) to visit the Pee Dee again in the future. Most of them are also either very likely (44%) or somewhat likely (27%) to recommend the Pee Dee to others for a visit. The overall image of the Pee Dee for visitors was higher than the other groups (see Figure 4), but like other respondents, the name ‘Pee Dee’ did not rank as highly (m=3.08) as a brand name. Unlike the other groups, a clear majority of visitors (75.5%) felt that the coastal counties of Horry (including Myrtle Beach) and Georgetown (i.e., the Grand Strand) should be considered as part of the Pee Dee region.

In terms of how the three different positioning statements were perceived, all survey respondents ranked Statement 3 above the others (see Figure 5). This statement was positioned around the rural environment and recreation opportunities and said: The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is a cornucopia of unique farming communities, local foods, open spaces, nature, and rivers. Recreation opportunities are abundant, so bring your fishing rod, kayak, and golf clubs. You are going to have fun! Brand communications were thus built around this positioning statement.

PHASE 3: IMPLEMENTATIONThe South Carolina National Heritage Corridor was chosen to create appropriate communication tools for the Pee Dee brand and they contributed matching funds for this part of the project. They were responsible for development of: 1) a Pee Dee regional logo and slogan; 2) updated marketing and advertising plans for tourism promotion in the region: and 3) brand media kits, sales packages and travel itinerary recommendations. The next two pages give examples of the communications materials created by the National Heritage Corridor.


Figure 4: Overall image of the Pee Dee region among three groups (from least favorable to most favorable)

Figure 3: Attractions or activities that interest visitors most (mean values of 1 to 5)

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4.9

4.8

4.7

4.6Business Residents Visitors


COMMUNICATING THE NEW BRAND

COMMUNICATING THE NEW BRAND



The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is a cornucopia of unique farming communities, local foods, open spaces, nature, and rivers.


CONCLUSIONSThis project showed the importance of using place brand building theory to understand a place’s core values and to map out a vision for the future. In place branding theory the notion of identity is central, in that the core values that underpin it provide an anchor around which all communications should be built. The study revealed a region’s identity that is strongly linked to the rural nature of the region and its associated outdoor activities, and the marketing materials that have been created can provide a foundation upon which a coordinated regional campaign can be built. Consistency in communi-cating the brand identity to potential visitors is of course critical for ensuring the brand’s success in the long-term. But the researchers also recommend that marketers in the Pee Dee region embark on an internal marketing campaign in order to raise awareness and strengthen the Pee Dee brand image amongst residents. The study revealed that visitors ranked the Pee Dee significantly higher on attributes such as ‘exciting’ and ‘fun,’ which would suggest that locals perhaps underestimate the attractiveness of their own backyard. Resi-dents tend to feel there is nothing to do, with few choices for shopping etc. From an economic development standpoint, the region will also have to work on strengthening its image in order to attract new industry. The research revealed that the Pee Dee is generally not perceived as being innovative, entrepreneurial, intelligent, or entrepreneurial. In fact, most of the businesses surveyed were only satisfied with (32%), or feel neutral (32%) about, the current business climate. The mean value was 3.2, which is between neutral and satis-fied. In a recent identical survey in the Bluffton region of South Carolina, 75.72% of businesses were either satisfied or very satisfied with their current business climate. Moving forward, to assess and fine tune the effectiveness of the brand development and marketing initiatives, it is important that tourism marketers in the Pee Dee measure the overall awareness and likability of the brand and the comprehension of the brand promise among stakeholders. Key measure-ments could be used such as unaided awareness of the Pee Dee, and unaided destination consideration awareness of the Pee Dee.

Figure 5: Perceptions towards the three positioning statements

3.8

3.7

3.6

3.5

3.4

3.3

3.2Business

statement 1

Residents

statement 2

Visitors

statement 3

3.69

3.46

3.43

3.783.71

3.67

3.73.69

3.6

Statement 1: Positioned around the character of the people and the history of the region

Statement 2: Positioned around the important connection to Myrtle Beach

Statement 3: Positioned around the rural environment and recreation opportunities


SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Ron Bartley, Northeastern Technical CollegeHolly Beaumier, Florence County Convention and Visitors BureauDenley Caughman, Grove Inn, Marion, SCRobin Colley, Economic Development AdministrationJason Cox, Cotton Museum, Bishopville,SCAimee Cox-King, Hartsville Chamber of CommerceTina Dean, Florence Civic CenterTaylor Damonte, Coastal Carolina UniversityPaul Edwards and Brad Monroe, Myrtle Beach Convention CenterSam Floyd, Williamsburg County CouncilPearl Fryar, Pearl Fryars Topiary GardenLyle Lyles, Raines Hospitality, Florence, SCKen McCrae, Darlington County Parks& RecreationReggie McDaniels, Tobacco Museum, Mullins, SCDarla Moore, Lake City Partnership CouncilCarlether Nesmith, Williamsburg County CouncilJulie Norman, Marion County Economic DevelopmentTim Norwood, Victor’s Restaurant, Florence, SCMaggie Riales, Dillon Downtown DevelopmentSusan Sanders, The Harbor Shop, Georgetown, SCMelissa Smalls, Maritime Museum, Georgetown, SCDavid Sides, Tourism and Community Development, Cheraw, SCLeslee Spivey, Williamsburg Downtown Chamber of CommerceMattie Thoam, Quality Inn, Chesterfield, SC

This project was jointly funded by the South Carolina Economic Development Administration and the Smart State Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development

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Branding the Pee Dee Region · Bay in Georgetown County and include the world famous Grand Strand....

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