The Conventions and Visitors Bureau of Puerto Vallarta (called 'OCV' in Spanish) celebrated the bicentennial celebrations by proudly publicizing the eminent launch of its new website developed by Mijo! Brands.
In a presentation to the local and national Press the OCV's Commercial Director, Antonia Lavender, communicated the strategic objectives of the Board of bringing more visitors and affluence to Puerto Vallarta by promoting year-round tourism.
She explained howPuerto Vallarta hadoperated with a limited promotions budget in comparison to other destinations which have had up to 10 times the spend for publicity. This has affected tourism in the city as Vallarta has lost ground to newer destinations in recent years.
“We decided that the best way to compete on the same level as similar destinations such as Hawaii, Cancún and the Caribbean, was through the cybernetic media to efficiently increase exposure and compete on a level playing field, which is why we proposed a change in design of our official web site.”
Once funds were obtained from both private and public bodies, the OCV conducted an extensive solicitation process that lasted several months and included over 18 agencies from the US, Mexico and Canada.
Mijo! Brands, a leading Mexican agency with an international portfolio of clients won the contract based on their innovative ideas, cutting edge design and deep understanding of the challenges facing Vallarta as a premier resort destination.
Mijo! Brands strategists, designers, programmers, marketing specialists and technicians begin developing a plan to change Puerto Vallarta's image both abroad and at home.
The project was launched by developing a unique strategy and positioning that would distinguish the destination from competitors.
“We conducted an exhaustive review of leading destination brands and consulted with government agencies, private business, residents and visitors to identify the concept that would drive the resort brandÂÂ’s redevelopment”, explains Daniel Gomez lead strategist at Mijo! Brands.
The final brand strategy and campaign slogan were derived from the extensive sampling of local and foreign opinion conducted by Mijo! Brands and the OCV at the outset of the project.
The project under development by Mijo! Brands is a fully interactive website that exploits the full potential of social networks incorporating multimedia and social media. Thefresh brand design- including the distinctive new logo – was created by Mijo! Brands graphic designers Ana Medina and Fátima Mora.
The new identity is complimented bya vast collection of vivid images of real experiences to be had in Vallarta and allow the website to showcase the very best of Puerto Vallarta.
The website will include a comprehensive local information and history, dynamic events calendar, up to the minute news, shopping, medical and sports information and jobs boardamongst other features and spin-off mini sites. The official portal is currently being integrated with a leading reservations interface to allow for secure online vacation planning and reservations.
At the end of the press event, Mijo! Brands'Â’ Director of Programming and Web Strategy Ramon López,offered a brief demonstration of the progress in the design of the site and displayed an impressive sample of design, cutting edge programming, videos and images in vibrant colors.
“This website, its content and imagery, is a response to the needs of Vallarta residents and businesses to showcase the very richness of culture and beauty to be found here. We are confident this project will help reestablish Vallarta as a leading resort destination worldwide”,” explained López.
The new website is currently undergoing testing and is scheduled for a mid-October launch.
