Overview
A collaboration between the City of Boston and Boston Garden Development Corp., ‘Boston Winter presented by Berkshire Bank’ in 2016 was the first season of a planned year-round activation conceived as a part of Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s commitment to creating an active, vibrant and welcoming City Hall Plaza. The new Boston Winter concept combined an open-air European-style holiday market with a craft brew pub, a family-friendly ‘warming hut’ serving hot chocolate and snacks, all encircled by a lighted skating rink that opened at dusk, creating an unforgettably magical experience in the heart of downtown Boston.
Assignment
- Conceptualize, design and produce all brand graphic components, including logo and website.
- Introduce Bostonians to the concept, positioned as an exciting new destination offering community and unique activities at City Hall.
- Develop and manage social media platform identities and engagement, capturing the brand’s inviting and festive voice, tone and philosophy.
- Drive buzz and generate consistent traffic from opening day in mid-December throughout the ‘unholiday’ cold months of January and February.
Strategy
- Execute a creative, aggressive pre-launch, launch, and post-launch media outreach plan to inform and engage with potential visitors throughout the Greater Boston prime target area.
- Identify multiple audience targets and create messaging and angles for media covering Family and Parenting; Holiday Gifts and Shopping; New England and Mid-Atlantic tourism; skating and sports; Date Nights.
- Initiate an ongoing 24/7 social media plan with content sourced by marlo staff embedded on site every day and evening throughout the critical December launch period, capturing, posting and re-posting photos, positive reviews and ongoing customer engagement across all channels.
- Drive traffic to the rink after the December holiday season by creating an ongoing calendar of special events, skating classes, social events and entertainment offers.