Consultants pitch ‘This is my Alaska’ branding, year‑round strategy for Kenai

Agnew Beck Consulting presented a revised tourism and marketing plan to the Kenai City Council on Jan. 15, proposing a pivot from the existing “I Love Kenai” identity toward messaging framed as “This is my Alaska” aimed at convincing regional visitors and residents why Kenai is a year‑round destination.

The consultants said the project began in summer 2024, carries a budget of $35,000 (including promotional expenses) and includes an option for two successive one‑year extensions through summer 2027. “We’ve expanded the original ‘the best place to Alaska’ tagline to include phrases like ‘this is how we Alaska,’ ‘this is where I Alaska,’ and ‘this is my Alaska,’” Agnew Beck principal Inger Didi said, explaining the change is meant to let locals tell their own stories and set accurate expectations for visitors.

Why it matters: Council members said they liked the local emphasis and asked how the city will know whether the changes produce results. City leaders and the consultants discussed using website analytics, social media metrics and local economic data as measures — including card‑transaction data available through the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District — to track whether marketing increases visits and spending.

Details of the plan and scope - Audience focus: The consultants recommended concentrating limited staff time and budget on two primary groups: Kenai residents and nearby communities (local), and Alaskans within driving distance (regional). National marketing to Lower 48 visitors would be coordinated with borough and regional efforts rather than led locally. - Messaging and channels: Content would emphasize authentic, locally sourced stories and attainable itineraries; the city’s brand and channels (I Love Kenai website and social accounts) would be adjusted to make the City of Kenai connection clearer and avoid promoting attractions outside the city limits. - Work program: Tasks include a communications plan, templates and workflows to make city management of content sustainable, a refresh of imagery to use local photos, social media posts that prioritize events and itineraries, and blog updates optimized for search. - Metrics: Consultants proposed tracking event participation, Google Analytics page views, social followers and engagement, and leveraging the borough’s transaction data to estimate spending impacts.

Council reaction and next steps Councilors praised the local‑first approach. Council member Daniel asked whether there were early metrics; John Papendyck of Agnew Beck said the campaign work began in November and it is too early to show trends, but baseline data from prior years exists and recent ad buys and social posts will provide measurable changes over the coming months. Council member Sonar said replacing the “I Love Kenai” logo with the City of Kenai brand clarified ownership of the site and messaging.

The consultants and council agreed a follow‑up report after the 2025 summer season would be appropriate. Vice Mayor Nackstedt and others asked staff to return with a check‑in on metrics and campaign impact after the busy season.

Ending The council did not vote on any funding change during the presentation; the consultants asked for questions and said they would return with metrics updates after the summer season.