Building a Brand from Vision to Reality: The Story Behind INSPIRE Northwest™
The marketing world is rapidly changing. In the competitive world of marketing and brand development, the creation of a new event series requires vision, strategy, and meticulous execution. JBe Marketing's upcoming INSPIRE Northwest™ event offers a masterclass in brand building that businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals across industries can learn from to establish or grow their own brands.
From Concept to Reality
What began as an ambitious vision nearly five years ago is now coming to fruition as North Central Washington's premier marketing and communications event. INSPIRE Northwest™ event held Thursday, October 16 at the Numerica Performing Arts Center will be an exciting afternoon filled with world-class speakers in brand development, AI and Marketing and Storytelling.
This groundbreaking event aims to inspire creativity and knowledge, foster community, and elevate brands to be at their best in Washington State. Every attendee will have the opportunity to understand their marketing power and gain tools to grow their unique brands.
Creating Brand Identity
The INSPIRE Northwest™ brand was not created overnight. JBe Marketing, known for serving clients as fractional marketing directors, understands that successful brand building requires consistent elements working in harmony:
1. Visual Identity: The INSPIRE Northwest™ logo features a microphone integrated into the name, a clever visual representation of the event's focus on thought leadership and communication. The logo mirrors the JBe Marketing logo with colors and retro tone but has its own distinctive mark which communicates the event’s purpose while maintaining the image. JBe’s designer, Dan Todd put the vision into reality in the logo.
2. Strategic Positioning: JBe positioned the event deliberately as "A Premier Marketing and Communication Event," establishing high expectations while defining its niche in the regional event landscape. The event represents the opportunity to bring people together for an afternoon of high-energy, learning, and networking.
3. Target Audience: The brand was crafted to appeal specifically to marketing professionals, communications experts, digital designers, sales leaders, executives, business owners, students, and educators, which is a diverse but interconnected audience with shared interests.
Strategic Partnerships: The Foundation of Brand Authority
Building a new brand not only takes time but a new brand needs credibility. Establishing a leadership team and an exceptional alliance of regional media partners and organizations to support the efforts and help bring the region together was critical in the success to launch the new brand. This coalition includes the nationally recognized How to Fascinate®, and regional partners like the Kenady Group, iPro Building Service, GTC Technical Support, SkillSource, The Wenatchee World, NCW Tech Alliance, and many other incredible partners.
Dr. Sue Kane of NCW Tech Alliance, who provided guidance for the event, states, "Bringing high-caliber marketing professionals and speakers to North Central Washington creates opportunities that previously did not exist in our region in a live event platform."
Strategy Drives Brand Value
The INSPIRE Northwest™ brand promise is delivered through carefully curated content featuring nationally recognized speakers:
· Hillarie Kay, Chief Culture & Strategy for How to Fascinate®
· April Kemp, founder of Fanatical DreamHer
· Hope Kemp-Hanson, creative concept designer with experience at major sportswear brands
The sessions from "Perception-Reality Making Your Brand Stick Without Sacrificing Authenticity" to "AI & Marketing" and "The Art of Storytelling" reinforce the brand's commitment to cutting-edge marketing education. Attendees will be able to grapple with their own brands and use the session information to grow their business.
Implementation Strategies: Launching of a new Brand
JBe Marketing's approach to launching the INSPIRE Northwest™ brand followed strategic marketing initiatives.
1. Pre-launch Community Building: I spent months meeting with numerous stakeholders, and partners, to hear their feedback and tell the story to build anticipation of how INSPIRE Northwest™ planned to be a world-class event.
2. Pre-Sale Release: Creating exclusivity, JBe's "Always Marketing" followers and sponsors receive special pre-sale access before public sales begin.
3. Digital Marketing: The dedicated website (www.INSPIRE-NW.net) serves as the brand's digital home, new META handles and a LinkedIn profile will be used to promote the event and maintain engagement with potential attendees across the Pacific Northwest and North Central Washington.
As INSPIRE Northwest™ prepares for its inaugural event this October, it is an example to thoughtful brand development. Bringing a brand from vision to copyright is a testament of how to build a new brand. For JBe Marketing, this represents not just a new event but an expansion of our business model, pivoting to hold a live event that educates and inspires business growth while bringing people together in and high-energy atmosphere.
If you are looking to support in curating a new brand, please join us at INSPIRE Northwest™. Together, with our partners, we will help you grow!
Jennifer Bushong, MA is the CEO of JBe Marketing Group, LLC., a full-service strategic marketing and communication firm in Washington State. JBe serves as fractional Chief Marketing Directors, Designers, or alongside marketing teams to implement marketing, communications, or branding campaigns using a variety of tactics. To learn more, email jennifer@jbemarketinggroup.com or visit www.jbe-marketing.com