As Covid-19 restrictions loosen across the United States, Visit Myrtle Beach is introducing a refreshed brand, supported by a new marketing campaign, designed to drive economic recovery along the South Carolina’s city’s famed Grand Strand.

The new brand – “The Beach” – plays on the notion that “There are a lot of beaches in the world. But only one is ‘The Beach.’”

Visit Myrtle Beach’s previous branding was used for more than 10 years and is seen to have successfully supported significant industry growth for the region. The new positioning was developed over the past year based on extensive visitor, resident, and stakeholder research.

The consumer research and brand development work was conducted in partnership with MMGY to support Visit Myrtle Beach’s long-term strategic plan.

The refreshed brand will be accompanied by a corresponding marketing campaign, “You Belong At The Beach,” designed to drive safe and responsible travel with new and repeat visitors along the destination’s 100 km of Atlantic coastline as well as instill a greater sense of community pride among residents.

“While the pandemic has had a profound impact on tourism, Myrtle Beach is well positioned for a strong recovery in 2021, which makes this the right time to really leverage the new brand architecture and creative elements,” says Karen Riordan, Visit Myrtle Beach president and CEO Karen Riordan. “The Beach brand will reflect the welcoming, vibrant and modern classic experience that our visitors and residents are so passionate about.”

“Tourism is the economic lifeblood of Myrtle Beach, providing $7 billion in economic impact throughout our 14 communities in the Grand Strand,” added Stuart Butler, chief marketing officer of Visit Myrtle Beach. “The Beach branding will ensure we continue to invest in increasing our tourism market share and leverage our competitive advantage for years to come.”