The municipality of Thisted in Denmark has a lot to offer, and the citizens are realizing the potential of hosting a World Cup for Windsurfers.
”While a number of municipalities in Denmark engages with expensive – and often ineffective – advertising, Thisted municipality and the other partners in the project are so lucky to have a resource in a bunch of dedicated surfing enthusiasts” – Nikolaj Stagis explains to the local newspaper Nordjyske.dk.
An intiative called Cold Hawaii is the organization behind the yearly World Cup for Windsurfers and as the name indicates, the wind is ideal and the temperature is…shall we say ”refreshing”?
The success was founded with “Cold Hawaii Masterplan” in 2006 and 2007, and has proven to be an invaluable investment for the parties involved in the project over the past year. The excellent results achieved in 2010 – 2012, suggest not only that the area’s strengths has been defined and translated into relevant, distinct activities, culminating in Cold Hawaii PWA World Cup. They also suggest that here is a cluster of dedicated enthusiasts and partners who have managed to take the long haul. Both to serve their own dreams, but also to serve the area’s image and growth. Too many branding and image campaigns are too vaguely based on the municipalities and organizations who aim to succeed. Often, the campaigns and projects get redefined, altered or simply forgotten, and the organizations are left with a wondering of why money was wasted and the effect did not materialize.
In Thy it has worked out differently. The project to promote and market Thisted Municipality as “Cold Hawaii” exudes that there is a partnership between the municipality, community organizations and local enthusiasts who are passionate about surf sports, to nature and to attract a world championship in windsurfing. These are the enthusiasts who make the project heartfelt and authentic – and which enables the humble fishing village of Klitmøller to make an impact on a much larger scale than we are used to seeing. The trick, of course, is to realize the value in the development that has already taken place, and ensure that it continues and becomes even greater. The more the municipality grow their authentic identity, the greater synergies, credibility and garnering between all the parties involved.
Click on the links above and read more about the initiative that puts Thisted and Thy on the world map while creating a strong incentive for the whole municipality to take part and identify with the activities that surrounds the World Cup. Read Nikolaj Stagis’ blog on the success of Thy here (in Danish!).
Need more information on how to discover and realize authenticity in your organization? Go to www.nikolajstagis.dk or read more about other cases here.
