Case Study

THE EVENT: Sam Korsmoe, Economic Development Director for Madison County had an idea he believed in— develop and promote a high-altitude road marathon in Southwestern Montana. The event would take place along the Gravelly Range Road which traverses the scenic Beaverhead National Forest and rises to almost 9,600 feet above sea level, making it the highest road marathon in the United States. 

THE CHALLENGES: Generate awareness and increase the number of participants at the event. To set this race apart we needed to zero in on the strongest selling points of the marathon—its elevation and its location. Because the race is situated in such a remote area we needed to provide the viewer with strong visuals that would highlight the unique characteristics of the race and entice runners of various skill levels to travel to this part of Montana that's situated well off the beaten path. Unlike traditional marathons, the appeal of this event is actually twofold. Not only is it the highest road marathon in the country, but it's also located in one of the most scenic national forests in the state of Montana. We knew these two factors would provide the incentive for athletes to make the journey to participate in this one-of-a-kind event.

THE SOLUTION: The Madison Marathon was approaching its third year but still had no real identity. There were no strong design elements in place to give potential runners a sense of what the race was all about. We began the project by developing a new identity along with the tag line 'Run Yourself Ragged'. The typeface we used for the logo and marketing materials was a distressed font that mirrored the ruggedness of the terrain. We felt the tag line summed up the way a participant might feel after completing this incredibly challenging event. The combination of these two elements would provide the initial clues as to the real nature of this high-altitude marathon.

The remaining design elements focused on the maximum elevation the runners would reach during the race. The weather-beaten national forest sign that indicates the highest point along the course became an important graphic for both the website and the printed collateral.

THE RESULTS: "Runners came from as far away as California to compete in the race and our entries nearly doubled for the event. Brian saw the creative potential and had the vision to lead us down the right path. It was a collaboration that really worked. The energy, vision and creativity were the right ingredients that helped to completely transform our marketing efforts into an identity and brand that I can use for years to come. Looking ahead I believe the Madison Marathon will be one of the most popular marathons in the country among boutique runners."

"As Economic Developer for West Yellowstone I’m beginning a new venture called the Yellowstone Studies Center. This is a research and education project that has incredible potential. Brian's company will be the one I hire to build the website and develop the necessary marketing materials to promote this new educational center."

- Sam Korsmoe, Executive Director of the Madison County Economic Development Council.