Kootenay Approved
Spreading the word about how awesome we all are since 2023.
The Kootenays is not only a geographical location, it’s a mindset. It’s an appreciation of the surrounding mountains, lakes, valleys, rivers, and communities. It’s an understanding that a healthy work/life balance is pivotal to happiness. It’s the ability to invent, create, and improvise in a changing and diverse environment that includes everything from snow-capped peaks to warm, sandy beaches.
In short, the Kootenays are a way of life. And the “Kootenay Approved” campaign is the perfect way to recognize and promote that way of life. Since its inception, KORE has created a network of innovative outdoor gear makers and creators and we believe there is a fervency and pride here that deserves to be showcased with a regionally-specific campaign that will not only promote the ingenuity of local companies but entice others from outside the area to want to be a part of it all.
Funded by ETSI-BC’s Innovating and Advancing Key Sectors program, “Kootenay Approved” is a branding and attraction initiative and its mission is to raise consumer awareness of the KORE gear maker and creator cluster, increase sales of those products, and attract business growth into the Kootenays.
The “KootenayApproved” initiative is a sector-specific (outdoor rec-tech) business attraction marketing campaign. As part of the initiative, KORE is collaborating with Kootenay economic development offices and tourism destination marketing organizations to promote Kootenay brands, tourism, and municipal and regional development.
Elements of the project include:
- “Kootenay Approved” branding creation (see logos above)
- Banff Mountain Film Festival Attraction Event (November 2023)
- “Make Gear Here” Video Series Pilot
- “Kootenay Approved” Success Stories
- “Kootenay Approved” advertising and in-store displays in retail brick and mortars
- “Kootenay Approved” integration into KORE brands
- Podcast Guest Outreach
- “Kootenay Approved” Journalist FAM Trip (Powder Highway)
- Creation of a “Kootenay Approved” promotional toolkit
The Kootenay Approved branding logos can be seen above and a report about KORE’s involvement at the Banff Mountain Film Festival can be found here. Kootenay Approved success stories can be found at the following links:
- koreoutdoors.org/kootenay-approved-inspired-meet-dan-of-durston-gear
- koreoutdoors.org/kootenay-approved-inspired-meet-scarlet-of-zapped-outfitters
- koreoutdoors.org/kootenay-approved-inspired-meet-dylan-of-lynx-ogt
- koreoutdoors.org/kootenay-approved-inspired-meet-pat-of-ghostrider-equipment
- koreoutdoors.org/kootenay-approved-inspired-meet-carissa-of-wildelore-clothing
- koreoutdoors.org/kootenay-approved-and-inspired-jackalope-bikes
A “Make Gear Here” video series pilot has been created by Eric Gonzalez and features makers, marketers, and a Chamber of Commerce representative speaking about the value of working and playing in the Kootenay city of Nelson, British Columbia. The video will soon by live on the KORE YouTube channel.
Likewise, a KORE podcast has been created and the first episode will air in April 2024 via all major platforms including YouTube.
Other work continues to have the Kootenay Approved in-store displays integrated throughout the region as well as on the Kootenay Approved journalist trip of the Powder Highway.
