Promotional items are in high demand

Promoters of the Clutha Country brand, launched 18 months ago, claim it is being well supported throughout the district and beyond.

The Clutha District Council spent more than $20,000 devising the ‘‘Where Everyone Says Hello'' slogan to go with the Clutha Country brand, which is the main promotional tool for the region.

It includes towns like Tapanui, Lawrence, Owaka through to Balclutha, Milton and Waihola.

District development manager Julie Pearse said promotional material bought to support the brand launch in November 2006 had become so popular with community groups that most of those items had virtually run out.

Material like T-shirts, pens, postcards and brochures are given freely to approved groups for community events that help promote the district both to tourists and locals.

This year alone, at least 14 groups had used the Clutha Country material including Sport Clutha's summer series, the Otago Shearing and New Zealand Woolhandling championships, the Papatowai Challenge, the Big River Festival and the South Otago Netball Association's 75th jubilee.

‘‘The enthusiasm shown by many community groups throughout the area in embracing the Clutha Country brand is fantastic to see,'' she said.

Because of the popularity of the items, the district development board last week approved more money for extra items including presentation folders and thank you cards.

Those folders were highly sought-after for conference and meeting packs, and Mrs Pearse said they would give Clutha an excellent profile.

Aside from promotional material, the branding campaign was gathering momentum in other ways too, she said.

Two new boundary signs have been unveiled in recent weeks at spots just north of Waihola and on the Tapanui-Gore road.

The next step was to construct two more boundary signs at Raes Junction and at the Gore-Clutha boundary south of Waipahi, while five ‘‘secondary'' boundary signs are planned at Taieri Mouth, the Chaslands highway, on the Clinton-Mataura Road, between Raes Junction and Tapanui and on the West Otago road near Landslip Rd.

Meanwhile, Mrs Pearse said another arm of the promotional effort - the Clutha Country website - was attracting strong interest, with a 20% increase in new visitor numbers each month.

 

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