Vermont Fresh Network

The Vermont Fresh Network – an organizational collective of partnering agri- and culinary-tourism suppliers and organizations throughout the State of Vermont – required a marketing strategy, messaging, and a creative framework, considering statewide and regional stakeholders for a shared goal of promoting agritourism in Vermont for both instate travellers and out of state visitors. Vermont Fresh Network manages DigInVT.com for a group of ten producer associations that make up the DigInVT Partnership. The goal of the project was to develop a strategy that would shift awareness, understanding, and behaviors to engage travelers in Vermont and visitors to Vermont.  

Specific objectives of the project were:

1. To support the emergence and viability of Vermont’s agritourism sector as a driver for economic growth, sustainable agriculture, and thriving rural communities. 

2. To inform how DigInVT.com should be utilized in a sustainable way to further Vermont agritourism goals, to cultivate collaboration, and to reflect a diversity of participants and experiences. 

3. To use inspiring stories and artistic expression, as well as transparent sharing of factual information, to shift awareness, understanding, and behaviour.

Bannikin undertook a multi-level research review, including comparative research, reviewing past marketing efforts, conducting a secret shopper exercise, online site visits, a cross-industry online survey, key informant interviews, and a partner workshop. Bannikin compiled the various research inputs to create a baseline narrative through key messages that could be shared and incorporated into the statewide and individual business marketing. From here, Bannikin underwent an iterative process to create and finalize an overall strategy that integrates multiple partners in marketing and promotion to in-state and out-of-state consumers including: a menu of actionable tactics for a consumer-facing campaign to promote agritourism, and a simple and actionable marketing strategy and creative framework, implementable by individual businesses and organizations.