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Big River Rally: Brand Development and Event Launch Success
Client: Big River Rally
Industry: Events
Goal: Brand Creation, Website Development, and Event Promotion for a First-Year Rally
The Challenge: Building an Event from the Ground Up
Big River Rally, was a brand-new, first-year event, facing the daunting task of launching from scratch. With no established recognition, audience, or past events to build on, the primary challenge was to create a strong, memorable brand that would generate excitement and stand out in a highly competitive festival scene. The goal was ambitious: attract thousands of attendees, including motorcycle enthusiasts and live music fans, across a 200-mile radius.
Beyond the brand identity, the event needed a comprehensive digital presence that could reach and engage a wide-ranging audience. This included developing a fully functional, mobile-optimized website capable of handling ticket sales and event information. Additionally, the promotional strategy needed to span multiple channels—radio, social media, online spaces, and community outreach—each requiring careful coordination to generate buzz and convert interest into attendance. The pressure was high to deliver a successful first-year event and establish a foundation for future growth, all while navigating the logistics and unpredictability of a new event with no prior data or audience engagement.
Services Provided
- Logo Design
- Brand Development
- Website Development
- Social Media Management
- Facebook Advertising
- Video Production and Photography
- Radio Advertising
- OTT Advertising
- Display Advertising
- Merchandise Coordination
- Event Signage
- Logo Design
- Brand Development
- Website Development
- Social Management
- Facebook Advertising
- Video Production
- Photography
- Radio Advertising
- OTT Advertising
- Display Advertising
- Merchandise Coordination
- Event Signage
Logo Design
Through our discovery process, we gained a deep understanding of the Big River Rally’s vision, which guided the logo design. After exploring various concepts, we finalized a logo that clearly represents the event’s adventurous and bold nature. This design became the cornerstone in creating a consistent brand identity across all marketing materials.
Brand Development
The brand story fueled every decision we made, shaping Big River Rally into something memorable and impactful. We crafted not only a visual identity but also a strong, cohesive voice that conveys the rally’s adventurous spirit and energy. The color palette was carefully selected to reflect the event’s bold, dynamic nature, using vibrant, high-contrast tones to grab attention and evoke excitement. Along with the visuals, the brand’s voice is direct and unapologetic, resonating with the target audience across radio, social media, digital ads, and video. Every asset aligned with this clear brand narrative, ensuring consistency in both message and design. This deliberate combination of storytelling, visuals, and a powerful voice didn’t just capture attention—it builds lasting connections with fans, driving engagement and loyalty for future rallies.
Website Development
After dialing in the logo and brand identity, Big River Rally needed a website to centralize event information and attract attendees. Our development team designed a visually appealing, user-friendly website to showcase all aspects of the event, including a detailed schedule, vendor listings, and prominent sponsor highlights. The website not only served as a key resource for attendees but also helped increase sponsor visibility, build excitement, and drive ticket sales, ensuring a seamless user experience for all involved.
Social Media Management
With the website in place, we launched and managed Big River Rally’s social media presence on Facebook and Instagram. Our strategy focused on engaging the target audience with compelling content and timely updates. Within just a few months, we grew the following to 987 on Facebook and 131 on Instagram, building a strong foundation for ongoing interaction. Follow their profiles to see the engagement build!
Social Media Ads Campaign
In addition to managing an active social media presence, we launched targeted ad campaigns across Meta platforms to boost visibility and drive attendance. Using first-party audience data collected from 95.7 The Rock, we generated 9,809 direct link clicks, nearly 800k impressions, and reached close to 200k unique users with an ad spend just under $2,000.
A one-month A/B test showed that our first-party data significantly outperformed Meta’s general targeting, resulting in a 41% increase in reach and 11% more impressions, due to its higher relevance and connection with the audience.
Video Production and Photography
To capture the essence of the experience, our team delivered dynamic highlight reels, explainer videos, video ads and photography to showcase the rally’s energy and excitement. We captured every unforgettable moment, from roaring engines to enthusiastic crowds. These assets not only generated pre-event buzz and boosted attendance but will serve future campaigns and ongoing social media efforts, ensuring the rally’s impact lasts far beyond the event.
Radio Campaign and Activation
Radio played a pivotal role in the promotional strategy for Big River Rally, spearheaded by 95.7 The Rock and supported by over 15 radio stations across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. The campaign strategically leveraged ads, live mentions and on-air promotions to generate excitement and awareness in key regional markets. By tapping into these radio audiences, we were able to reach motorcycle enthusiasts and live music fans, creating widespread buzz and driving both ticket sales and event attendance. The broad reach of radio, coupled with community-driven engagement, laid the foundation for the rally's first-year success and delivered a seamless, multi-platform promotion that amplified the event’s visibility across the region.
OTT Campaign
To extend the rally’s reach, we launched an over-the-top (OTT) streaming TV campaign featuring our high-quality videos. The campaign generated over 200k impressions with a 93.97% Video Completion Rate, meaning the video was fully viewed 188,585 times. Ads were served on top networks like CBS News, The CW, The History Channel, The Weather Channel, and more, allowing the rally to connect with a broader audience and drive engagement across multiple streaming platforms.
Display Campaign
Display advertising provides significant volume at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional media, allowing us to deliver over 1 million impressions with a relatively modest budget driving awareness and interest in the event while maintaining budget efficiency.
Merchandise Coordination
What's an event without merch? We designed and produced exclusive Big River Rally 2024 gear, including tees, tanks, hoodies, sew-on patches, and can koozies. These items were sold both online and on-site at the rally, giving attendees memorable keepsakes while reinforcing the event’s branding. The merchandise became a key part of the rally experience, strengthening the connection between the brand and the audience. Our collaboration with Big Muddy Tees helped bring these high-quality products to life!
Event Signage
Signage was essential for both promoting Big River Rally and enhancing the on-site experience. We designed and produced posters, banners, feather flags, and pop-ups to build excitement and ensure smooth navigation throughout the event. These visuals reinforced brand visibility and encouraged attendee interaction with engaging elements like QR code contests.
The Results: A Strong Debut for Big River Rally
Big River Rally’s first year exceeded expectations, attracting 2,000 attendees and establishing a strong foundation for future growth. Our comprehensive online marketing efforts resulted in over 25,000 total users visiting the website since its launch in April 2024, with nearly 30% of referral traffic coming from organic social media. The event received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, with many expressing their intent to return next year, while sponsors also provided enthusiastic feedback, highlighting the event’s potential for future expansion.
Conclusion
The successful launch was the result of a well-coordinated branding and promotional strategy that resonated with Big River Rally's target audience. By creating a distinctive brand identity, building a powerful online presence, and executing a multi-channel campaign, we helped Big River Rally establish itself as a must-attend event in its very first year.
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