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BAY CITY — Bay City’s plan to put up about 20 signs around town directing visitors to various hot spots has hit a snag.

It’s because of a dispute over their blue-and-white coloring.

The Michigan Department of Transportation requires all signs placed on state routes to be green and white.

City officials in charge of the sign project are trying to get a waiver from the state to allow the blue-and-white scheme.

Bay City’s economic development marketing plan manager, Patti Stowell, tells The Bay City Times she’s provided the state with examples of other communities that used a different color scheme along state routes, including Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo.

Gregg Brunner manages MDOT’s Transportation Service Center in Bay City. He says: “We’re not granting waivers for sign colors.”

UPDATE: Quotes from Billings Chamber, Custer Country Montana, Inc. and Miles City Chamber

BILLINGS – The Billings Chamber of Commerce has tentatively received the marketing plan contract for Custer Country.
The department’s director Dore Schwinden made the announcement at a legislative committee meeting today.
“It’s a big opportunity not only for the entire region and to see what we can do to bring visitors into Custer Country,” said John Brewer, president/CEO of the Billings Chamber of Commerce/Convention and Visitors Bureau. ” For the Billings area as well because we are the service hub for the region and the rest of the region is the destination that pulls people in because of the amenities and attractions that they offer.”
Department of Commerce spokesperson Marissa Kozel says the Billings Chamber scored the highest in the request of proposal process. Custer Country Montana, Incorporated came in second and the Miles City Area Chamber of Commerce came in third.
“It’s not disappointing in fact that the tourism region is still there,” said Sean Colmes, president of Custer Country Montan, Incorporated. “it’s still a vital promotional piece. The Billings Area Chamber will do its best to promote Eastern Montana and move forward with it.. It’s a great opportunity.”
“Congratulations to Billings,” said John Lane, executive director of the Miles City Area Chamber of Commerce. “No problems with them getting it. They’re capable of doing a great job. They’re well established in tourism industry and appreciate the needs of Custer Country. Moving Custer Country forward is the important thing.”
The Tourism Advisory Council now needs to meet to recognize and approve the Billings Chamber’s marketing plan plan.
The contract became available after an investigation of Custer Country Montana, Incorporated.
That investigation revealed a conflict of interest with a contract for the Custer Country Guide.

09.03.2010 – SANTA ROSA, Calif. – Buff, Inc., known for their innovative, versatile and multifunctional headwear, has hired national sales manager Micah Hinton, and marketing plan manager, Cheryl Rebsamen. Both hires provide Buff, Inc. an added level of experience to bring to fruition the company’s increased market share goals.

Hinton and Rebsamen will begin on Monday, September 20th.

“With growth and expansion at the top of our goals, we are extremely pleased two bring in these two hugely successful veterans to the Buff® family,” said Shirley Choi Brunetti, general manager and vice president, Buff, Inc. “Micah and Cheryl’s experience and knowledge will help bring the Buff® brand to the next level and be an incredible addition to our highly motivated team here at Buff, Inc.”

Hinton, a graduate of Tulane University has over 14 years experience in the outdoor industry including time in ski resort sales and marketing plan, professional fly fishing guiding, retail store management with the Orvis Company, and most recently five years in the sales department at Mountain Hardwear. Hinton’s role with the brand included rep, dealer, and product training, sales meeting and tradeshow management, and in-line and closeout sales.

“I admire Buff® products and believe they are poised for significant growth. I hope to build on their current channels and help them to expand into other areas of distribution,“ Hinton comments.

As brand marketing plan manager for Boulder, Colorado’s GoLite, LLC, Rebsamen played a vital role in rebranding and developing the lightweight outdoor gear company’s web and ad presence. Prior to GoLite, she spent nearly six years with Hi-Tec Sports USA as public relations & advertising manager for both the Hi-Tec outdoor and Magnum tactical footwear brands. Rebsamen is a graduate of California State University Stanislaus.

“The opportunity to step in as the first ever head of marketing plan for Buff, Inc. was impossible to resist,” Rebsamen said. “There is enormous potential in the Buff® brand and its relevance to a variety of new and existing markets. I plan to bring new life to the website, in-store and overall brand experience.”

With athletic backgrounds that encompass nearly all of Buff®’s intended uses – running, cycling, hiking, yoga, hunting, and fly fishing – Rebsamen and Hinton have actively pursued their athletic passions while gaining foothold in their careers. Both will be based out of the Santa Rosa, California office for Buff, Inc.

Please visit the Buff, Inc. website and Social Media Release webpage for new products, as well as up-to-date company news, a “how-to-wear” demo video, images and much more. Also, please become a fan of Buff, Inc. on Facebook.

About Buff, Inc.
Buff, Inc., located in Northern California, is a subsidiary of Original Buff, SA Spain, and established its U.S. presence in 2003. Popular for more than a decade in Europe and used since the show’s inception on CBS’s Survivor television series, Buff, Inc. is distributed in more than 45 countries. Buff performance headwear is all about versatility and simplicity – one garment serves many functions. Among other uses, a Buff® can be worn as a hat, neck gaiter, balaclava, bandana, scarf, hair band, helmet liner, headband, and pirate-style cap or as a sun, wind or dust screen. Designed to offer technical performance and protection from the elements during a wide range of outdoor activities and sports, Buff® models are available in hundreds of styles and designs. For more information on Buff, Inc. call 707.569.9009 or visit the Buff, Inc. website.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Verde PR & Consulting
Craig Randall
970.259.3555
craig@verdepr.com

Loveland-based Robeson marketing plan & Design is working with local non-profit Tender Mercies to complete a $10,000 strategic marketing plan planning session.

The session will result in a three- to five-year marketing plan communications plan for the non-profit organization that supports homeless individuals in the Cincinnati region.

With Tender Mercies CEO Russell Winters and representatives from their board of directors, Robeson marketing plan is completing a strategic GOALStm workshop including marketing plan assessment, market research and trend analysis.

“All organizations are currently challenged to rethink marketing plan and communications strategies that may be obsolete or ineffective due to the changing economic times,” said Beth Robeson, CEO of RMD. “Non-profit organizations are especially impacted as they are vying for scarce resources. It is exciting to work with Tender Mercies and we hope that our GOALS session will allow them to continue raising the awareness about their important mission.”

RMD had more than 35 applicants for its “Giving Back 2010″ strategic package.

RMD is donating their services to a local non-profit in honor of their 10-year anniversary.

“We are thrilled to have been selected among so many deserving organizations in our local community,” Winters said. “Tender Mercies is grateful to have completed this strategic planning with Robeson marketing plan & Design, and we look forward to using the resulting marketing plan plan to focus our efforts and increase the public’s understanding about the critical services we provide to homeless individuals in Cincinnati.”

For more information about RMD’s GOALStm strategic planning session, visit www.robesonmarketing plan.com/strategic-planning.

A brainstorming session about marketing plan Nevada County didn’t yield any groundbreaking ideas, but attendees hope support from supervisors will take a major campaign from idea to reality.

About 100 people attended the western Nevada County planning meeting Wednesday, led by Truckee-based Switchback Public Relations. It’s a kick-off after Switchback won $90,000 from the county to market the area as whole.

“We need to create a united effort, because right now (marketing plan efforts) are pretty fragmented,” said District 2 Supervisor Ed Scofield, who attended the meeting. “And somehow, they’re going to have to draw west and east (county) together.”

Past marketing plan efforts have been spearheaded by the county’s six separate chambers of commerce and focused on individual cities. Supervisors have talked about a countywide campaign for years.

The meeting looked like other strategic planning meetings: Community members and business community leaders gathered at round tables to discuss the county’s strengths and weaknesses and to set goals.

Attendees identified competitors, including Amador, El Dorado and Placer counties. They listed areas that could be promoted better, such as historical and heritage tourism, recreational vehicle tourism and agricultural or “ecotourism.”

Switchback must give a progress report to the county each month. Among the deadlines set for the project:

• A final marketing plan action plan is due Oct. 15. Switchback will distribute it by e-mail to attendees and to city councils.

• A “brand development” process — defining what the county wants to be known for — must be finished by Nov. 15.

• An all-county tourism website must be complete by Dec. 14, when Switchback will present it to supervisors.

• A sustainability plan to fund marketing plan efforts in subsequent years is due Feb. 15.

The $90,000 budget does not include money for advertising, but may support the planning phases of such a campaign, according to Switchback President Brinn Wellise.

Attendees remarked that marketing plan efforts in the past have petered out. But they also said things with Switchback looked hopeful.

“They sound like they’re going to make it happen,” said Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Executive Manager Cathy Whittlesey. “They were very professional.”

To contact Staff Writer Michelle Rindels, e-mail mrindels@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4247.

20 Signs On Hold Over Blue-And-White Coloring

Published: Friday, September 03, 2010, 8:14 AM     Updated: Friday, September 03, 2010, 8:47 AM

Lake Oswego has developed a three-year marketing plan plan inviting the public to “Say Hello to L.O.”
 
Residents and visitors might soon see that tagline on street banners, T-shirts and bags from local businesses. Other initiatives include smartphone apps to provide a mapping directory and events calendar, a floating “drive-in” movie in Lakewood Bay during summer 2011, and a loyalty program providing residents with special deals.
 
City officials and business leaders will also likely start discussing the establishment of a local business or economic improvement district, which would assess commercial property owners or business owners a fee to fund marketing plan efforts.
 
It’s all part of the city’s newly developed marketing plan plan, which outlines 15 strategies to raise the city’s profile, increase customer traffic to local businesses, and help recruit and retain businesses.
 
“The real story unfolds over years to see how you can change behavior and awareness, but the first step is now to organize a strategic approach to attract customers and businesses to Lake Oswego,” said Jane Blackstone, the city’s economic development manager. “It’s really positioning Lake Oswego to be a strong community.”
 
Local company FinksInc developed the plan over the last few months in consultation with city officials, an advisory task force of business leaders and a focus group of “key communicators” in the city. The marketing plan plan is part of the city’s umbrella economic development strategy.
 
An earlier market analysis showed the city lost about $537 million annually of retail sales to neighboring communities. A shopper survey in the summer of 2009 showed that 55 percent of city residents shopped outside Lake Oswego for goods and services other than gas and groceries.
 
The marketing plan plan recommends a $300,000 annual marketing plan budget, with a slimmed-down alternative scenario of $151,000. Funding would come from public-private partnerships, Blackstone said, with the city likely to provide seed money in the beginning and a smaller amount in future years.
 
The plan cost $30,000 to develop, and the city’s economic development department paid for it out of its budget from the last fiscal year.

– Yuxing Zheng

BRECKENRIDGE — Town officials are looking for local volunteers for a committee of marketing plan experts to advise town council on promotional strategy.

“This is rolling up sleeves and getting into the marketing plan plan — into the spend,” town Councilman Mike Dudick said Tuesday.

The marketing plan committee is to help guide the council on advertising, events and promotion of the town as a year-round resort with the intent of preserving the community’s economic vitality.

Applicants for the seven-member committee must be electors or hold business licenses in town, and have previous marketing plan experience.

Three members must be owners, operators or employees of lodging businesses in town; one must own, operate or be employed by a local restaurant or retail business, and two members are to be selected at-large. The final member will be chosen from town council.

Town spokeswoman Kim DiLallo said the council member will help give committee members an idea of council’s vision for marketing plan.

“Some of it is going to be a bit nebulous at this point, until the committee gets together,” she said.

Most of the town’s marketing plan revenue goes to the Breckenridge Resort Chamber, and the committee would likely work closely with the chamber to track the money.

“My sense is everyone on the council is satisfied with the BRC,” Dudick said. “We want a mechanism so if we weren’t satisfied with the marketing plan agency, we’ve got an effective way to make changes.”

He said the committee might tackle such issues as how money will be distributed among marketing plan group sales, events and more. It could even lead to the birth of new events.

The members’ terms are to last two years, although four members of the first committee will serve only a one-year term. Meeting dates and times are to be set at the first meeting.

People interested in serving may submit a letter of interest describing marketing plan experience, involvement the local community and boards served on. The letters may be sent to Kim DiLallo, Town of Breckenridge at kimd@breckgov.com or P.O. Box 168/150 Ski Hill Road Breckenridge, CO 80424.

The council aims to bring more finances to marketing plan through a ballot issue residents will vote on in November. The committee is to be formed regardless of the outcome.

For more information on the ballot issue, visit http://bit.ly/bMW6Jg

SDN reporter Robert Allen can be contacted at (970) 668-4628 or rallen@summitdaily.com.