Southern Indiana Business Report
BEDFORD — You don’t visit Southern Indiana – you Discover it.
That’s the premise behind the new look and feel for Discover Southern Indiana (DSI), a regional tourism organization aimed at fostering a welcoming visitor experience within an eight-county region of south-central Indiana. First established in 2018, the organization sought a visual identity that would fully represent the broad range of outdoor recreation, food and drink experiences, and cultural significance that are present in the region that includes Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington counties.
“Our goal was to develop a look and feel that could be as resonant to the rolling hills of Spring Mill State Park in Lawrence County as it is to the wineries and culinary experiences around Patoka Lake in Crawford County or the world-class resorts of French Lick West Baden in Orange County,” said Misty Weisensteiner, chief operating officer of Discover Southern Indiana. “We exist to ‘break down’ county lines and help visitors understand just how much there is to do in this area.”
The main logo is reminiscent of an Indiana license plate, encouraging explorers to take a road trip and see what they discover, while other elements of the brand highlight outdoor recreation, food and wine experiences, and more. The elements are tied together with a cohesive, earthy color scheme that evokes the region’s natural landscape and gently curving lines that nod to Southern Indiana’s rolling hills.
These new elements made their debut on DSI’s new and improved website, which launched in March. The website has been reorganized to improve the user experience and make it simpler for viewers to plan a visit uniquely tailored to their specific interests.
Tourism supports economic development
Discover Southern Indiana is the tourism arm of Radius Indiana, which supports economic development in Southern Indiana by enhancing awareness of the unique assets in the region and positioning the region competitively for the retention, expansion, and attraction of jobs and investment. DSI’s founding was the result of a collaborative development process that brought together 10 stakeholders from around the region to share their vision for the future of tourism and hospitality for this unique part of the state.
Discover Southern Indiana is the only regional tourism brand in the Hoosier state that is overseen by a regional economic development organization – a nod to the importance of quality of life as it relates to the importance of growing the local economy. In 2021, visitors to the region contributed more than $175 million to the local economy, and tourism is now the fifth-largest employer in the Radius region.
“Discover Southern Indiana was born from the conviction and passion of many people who believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. We are confident that when a traveler experiences a taste of what Southern Indiana has to offer, they’ll want to come back again and again, and explore further” said Jeff Quyle, Radius president and CEO. “This new branding conveys both the breadth of experience available here, and the seamless way in which visitors can travel among the counties, painting a true picture of who we are.”
The brand was created by Indianapolis-based marketing agency The Basement, which serves as Discover Southern Indiana’s agency of record for marketing and strategic communications. These brand elements can be seen on Discover Southern Indiana’s newly updated website, its social media platforms, and monthly newsletters.
To sign up for Discover Southern Indiana’s newsletter, visit the website here.
To stay up-to-date on Discover Southern Indiana, follow the brand on Instagram and Facebook.
About Discover Southern Indiana
Headquartered in Bedford, IN, Discover Southern Indiana is a regional tourism initiative serving eight counties in south-central Indiana. The initiative invites visitors and prospective residents to discover all the bustling region has to offer, from outdoor adventures, cultural and historical destinations, and world-class experiences. Build your own itinerary to include family-friendly excursions, five-star accommodations, Indiana’s finest State Parks, prestigious golf courses, and much more. You don’t visit Southern Indiana – you Discover it.