The “Hunt for the Heart” campaign in Williams Lake.
Every community that is part of Love Northern BC has a community champion. They know their local business community and work collaboratively with local business owners to keep digital profiles up to date and promote the Love Northern BC initiative at a local level.
Northern Development offers a $1,200 marketing grant to support the program in communities throughout the region:
Love Terrace
Terrace has established a steering committee, made up of members of the business and non-profit community, to help the local community champion recognize the needs of businesses and provide input on marketing activities and strategies. They are developing newspaper and radio advertisements just in time for the holiday shopping season.
“These will remind both people coming into town and those already here of our vibrant local independent shopping destinations when searching for the perfect gifts,” said Brian Doddridge, community champion for the City of Terrace. “This would not be possible without the support from Northern Development.”
Love Hudson’s Hope
In Hudson’s Hope “Love Bucks” are handed out to kids for performing good deeds, such as picking up litter. They can redeem them at local businesses like the ice cream store, helping to ingrain a value for local business early.
“They just love it and it’s a lot of fun! The resources from Northern Development allow me to fulfill my role as community champion in a fun way that really motivates everyone in town,” says Becky Mercereau, community champion for the District of Hudson’s Hope.
Love Williams Lake
A “hunt for the heart” campaign was led in Williams Lake, where heart posters were hidden in local, independent businesses around town. Participants had to collect stamps from six participating businesses in order to win prizes.
“It was great to hear people talk about how they went into businesses they don’t usually go into just to participate,” says Heidi Jakubec, community champion for Love Williams Lake.
They also distributed postcards promoting Love Williams Lake to new home owners in the community in partnership with local real estate companies.
Love Dawson Creek
The community champion in Dawson Creek, Shaely Wilbur, wrapped a car in Love Dawson Creek graphics and joined more than 80 classic cars in the Mile Zero Summer Cruise to create awareness for the program.
