To elevate North Carolina as the Great Trails State and power the Year of the Trail campaign, DbD delivered an integrated program: brand strategy and design for both identities, a custom-built GreatTrailsNC.com website, a statewide community toolkit, a photo library, and anthem campaign video for marketing. The work aligned partners, equipped communities, and gave residents and visitors clear ways to discover and champion trails.
The
Challenge
North Carolina’s 10,000 miles of trails—from Blue Ridge ridgelines to the coastal Outer Banks—have long offered world-class recreation and generated tourism income, but the story was fragmented. With countless local efforts and trail types, there was little unified messaging to link them under a single statewide identity. North Carolina’s Great Trails State Coalition needed a clear brand and communications strategy to help rally partners, attract visitors, and help every community promote its trails as part of North Carolina’s greater outdoor image.
And the Year of The Trail was born. The Year of the Trail was born—a statewide celebration designed to unite communities, inspire trail use, and position North Carolina as the Great Trails State.
A house of brands approach was taken and a complementary brand system was created for both.
Content
Creation
DbD produced a statewide photo library and campaign video capturing the people, places, and energy of North Carolina’s trail network for use across campaign and tourism marketing.
Website
DbD designed and developed GreatTrailsNC.com as the digital hub for the campaign—connecting users to trails, events, resources, and stories across North Carolina.
Community Toolkit
DbD created a comprehensive community toolkit that equipped local leaders with templates, messaging, and visuals to promote trails and host Year of the Trail events statewide.
