About Boston Harbor Island Alliance

Boston Harbor Alliance's waterfront banners reveal a hidden treasure,
the Boston Harbor Islands, where visitors and locals can escape and breathe

BOSTON-----Boston tourists and residents are currently encountering a stunning array of colorful banners along Boston's famed waterfront that promote a spectacular outdoor experience just "15 minutes by ferry," the Boston Harbor Islands national park area. The banners, which stretch from Christopher Columbus Park to Boston's Long Wharf and to the Moakley Federal Courthouse carry Mayor Tom Menino's enthusiastic endorsement: "The Boston Harbor Islands are the hidden jewels of Boston."

Boston Harbor Island Alliance (BHIA), which promotes the use, enjoyment, and awareness of the national park area, is proud to present this unique banner collection as the culmination of its multifaceted branding campaign. BHIA kicked off its branding campaign in May 2008. With its central message, "Minutes away. Worlds apart.," the campaign encompassed newspaper ads, including the Boston Globe, Boston Parents Paper, El Mundo, and Sampan; ads on the MBTA subway and bus lines; brochures; and radio promotions. The Harborwalk banners are the largest and most visible component of the campaign. The promotional campaign marked the first time since the Islands were established as a National Park in 1996 that the Alliance has mounted a comprehensive advertising campaign.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors and inhabitants come to Boston's Long Wharf each season for sightseeing and cruises. But amid the competition that ranges from Codzilla boats to charter cruises, the BHIA's small ferry kiosk gets literally lost in the "sea of attractions." The banners, created by Hull Creative of Brookline, Ma., give the Island Alliance and its offerings a stronger presence along the heavily trafficked waterfront area. The purpose of the banners was to raise visibility of the Islands as an exciting and accessible destination for tourists and local inhabitants of all ages.

"We set out to simply portray and promote the wonderful Boston Harbor Islands," says Caryl Hull, founder and president of Hull Creative. "Yet, we faced a much bigger challenge ... to make the invisible visible. Many people who walk Boston's waterfront don't even notice, let alone inquire about, one of the city's greatest and most diverse resources. Our ultimate goal was to change behavior. We wanted to get people to actually see and then experience the Islands."

The BHIA banners were created through a tourism grant and with the cooperation of Boston Parks Department, Boston Harbor Hotel, and the City of Boston.

All facets of the BHIA branding campaign come together in the banners: the catchy slogan; the Mayor's endorsement; action-packed photos of diverse children and adults enjoying the Island experience; and eye-catching views of the Islands' shores, trails, amenities, sports opportunities, and cultural programs. The banners capture the full range of adventures that the Islands offer, from swimming, boating, and fishing to hiking, Ranger-led tours, and free concerts. All the banners proclaim what visitors can feel and do on the Islands: "breathe," "enjoy," and "escape" as well as "sail," discover," and "climb a lighthouse,

"In some ways the harbor islands are a hidden treasure, and we're working to make them more visible," says Tom Powers, president of the Boston Harbor Island Alliance, The Islands should be appreciated as a world-class resource and destination, and the banners are key to this project. They say so much. They say it all."

An important link in BHIA's waterfront signage promotion is the set of eight double-sided banners on the Northern Avenue Bridge—the first time interior banners have appeared on the bridge. The Alliance also mounted an exterior banner on the bridge that created big-time exposure with boat travelers, especially on the MBTA ferry, which docks nearby. In addition, a 50-foot-tall banner in the outdoor atrium of the Boston Harbor Hotel grandly brings forth the campaign's images and message.

"In many ways, the banners were much more than advertisements," says Carol Thistle, BHIA marketing director. "With all their color and vibrancy, they actually enhance the Harborwalk experience for Boston tourists, while commuters slow down and enjoy a mini vacation."

"The BHIA's Harborwalk banner project was a great team effort," continues Thistle, "Through the involvement of state and city agencies and local companies plus the wonderful work of Hull Creative, we made a powerful statement about the fun and adventure that await visitors to the Harbor Islands. The project can serve as a model of a how a cultural institution can inexpensively promote itself."

The Boston Harbor Islands national park area features 34 island, encompassing 1,600 acres and 35 miles of undeveloped ocean shoreline----all within 10 miles of downtown Boston. With its many natural and cultural attractions, the park offers visitors unparalleled opportunities for play and learning in an outdoor setting. www.bostonharborislands.org 617-223-8666

Boston Harbor Island Alliance's mission is to promote public awareness and use of the Boston Harbor Islands national park area by creating vibrant spaces, facilities, and programming on the islands, raising and managing the public and private resources necessary to do so. www.islandalliance.org 617-223-8672

Hull Creative Group, Inc. is a full service design and communications firm providing clients with fresh ways to strategize, brand and visually communicate with their audiences. Located in Brookline, Ma., Hull Creative applies 18 years of experience with corporations in a variety of industries, to help shape their messages and reach new business goals. www.hullcreative.com 617-223-3544