Sturbridge Area To Market New Identity

The Sturbridge area has decided to market itself as "The Sturbridge Townships" with the catch phrase "everything but ordinary."

The new identity and advertising campaign was commissioned by the Sturbridge Heritage and Preservation Partnership and the Sturbridge Area Tourist Association. It is designed to attract visitors as well as hospitality and retail businesses to the Sturbridge region.

Along with Sturbridge, the new campaign will cover Southbridge, Charlton, "the Brookfields," Brimfield, Holland, Wales and Spencer. New advertisements featuring a new logo for the area are scheduled to begin appearing in print, on the radio, on billboards, on the Internet, as well as in new brochures and a new web site.

The campaign was designed by the RDW Group, a Worcester-based marketing firm. The Sturbridge Heritage and Preservation Partnership was established with $125,000 in state money in 2007 to develop a new marketing strategy for the region.

Last spring, RDW told the partnership to play up the area's natural beauty after a marketing study found that the region was relying too heavily on Old Sturbridge Village to draw tourists.