Rebranding The Pee Dee: A Case Study

Branding is the process by which a consumer product differentiates itself from other, similar entities. Everything from t-shirts to bottled water has a unique brand that consumers recognize, remember, and prefer. However, within this field exists the process of destination branding: creating a unique brand, based on core values and aspects of an area, that can be marketed to tourists to motivate them to visit. Some areas let their existing attractions speak for themselves, and simply create a name to be remembered by (think Charleston, the “Heart of the Lowcountry”). Other areas, such as the Pee Dee region, must create a brand that will help differentiate it from all of the other rural areas of South Carolina, and convince tourists that there is a unique and enjoyable experience to be had. The first step to creating this brand is finding a suitable set of core values and important aspects of the area, and this research focuses on that element of the branding process. Interviews were conducted with key individuals in the Pee Dee to determine what personality they thought existed, what actions needed to be taken to increase tourism in the area, as well as concerns for its future. Interview responses, which focused around potential for agritourism and economic development, were then used to create surveys, which were distributed en masse to both residents and visitors of the area. The results of these surveys will be the largest factor in creating a destination brand for the Pee Dee