Press Kit

NEWS FROM MT WASHINGTON VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – 2-14-14

Contact:  Marti Mayne, 207-846-6331, PR@mtwashingtonvalley.org 

VOTE FOR NORTH CONWAY, NH IN NATIVE EYEWEAR’S LOCALS ONLY PROJECT

North Conway, NH - Native Eyewear, the adventure-oriented sunglass company, has announced the five mountain-town finalists for its annual Locals Only Project and North Conway is one of them.  Through the Locals Only project, Native Eyewear is searching for for the 2014 best outdoor town and America’s best outdoor playground. Once chosen, Native Eyewear will explore that one epic town, its locals and what makes it so great. To be selected as a finalist, Native requires that each town shares its own brand’s core values of adventure and exploration.

Fans can soon vote for the town they believe best represents “local spirit.” Voting takes place February 18 – March 8.  All voting lives on Native’s Facebook page, http://on.fb.me/1baHUke.

Now in its fourth year, Native’s Locals Only Project celebrates the adventurous charisma of outdoor towns and the “natives” who embody the beauty of a homegrown spirit.  Each year, Native Eyewear collaborates with locals to capture what makes the town they choose so special. With the help of homegrown talent, including local photographers, videographers, writers, tour guides and adventure athletes, Native Eyewear walks away with a clearinghouse of stories and imagery which are then used to create the next year’s product catalog and future advertising.  If North Conway wins,  Mt Washington Valley will appear as the backdrop for all of Native Eyewear’s advertising and adventure branding campaigns.  Native will also develop a fabulous digital e-zine for the winning town which is then used in both Native and the winning town’s own marketing efforts.

Best of all, this entire year-long advertising campaign for both Native Eyewear and the winning town is created by local photographers, videographers and writers who are employed by Native Eyewear to provide content.  “It’s the lasting relationships with local townspeople and dignitaries that make the Project so special,” says Al Perkinson, Vice President of Marketing for Native Eyewear.   “The towns are so appreciative of us for being there and yet it’s the people who have afforded us with a one-of-a-kind experience that is unmatched by any exposure we help provide.” 

Previous towns featured in the Locals Only Project are: Boulder, Colo., Hood River, Ore., White Fish, Mont., and, most recently, Brevard, N.C.

Mt Washington Valley is competing with the following towns to win the Local’s Only spot in 2014, all chosen for their shared attitude and focus on mountain adventure with Native Eyewear:

• Fayetteville, WV: Located right next door to the New River Gorge National River, Fayetteville, is chock-full of friendly folks with a small town atmosphere, and world class thrills. 
• Gig Harbor, Wash.: Named one of Smithsonian Magazine’s Top Five Small Towns for culture, heritage and charm, Gig Harbor is a destination for kayakers, trail runners, and those simply looking to enjoy life at their own pace. 
• North Conway, NH: Located just beneath the White Mountain National Forest with the tallest peak in the East, North Conway offers four seasons of adventure, and relaxation.
• Petoskey, Mich.: With breath-taking views of Lake Michigan's Little Traverse Bay in the northern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Petoskey is a quaint getaway community for folks looking to eat, sleep and breathe the simple life. 
• Salida, Colo.: Described as “sweetly unpretentious” by Outside Magazine, Salida is nestled among 14ers deep in Colorado’s adventure country with an endless supply of rich, mountain-town charm to residents and visitors alike.

Voting for the Local’s Only project takes place February 17- March 7, 2014 on their Facebook page here: http://on.fb.me/1baHUke.  The winning town is selected by the most votes on Native’s Facebook voting app. Each vote can vote once per day. 

All those who know and love Mt Washington Valley are encouraged to vote daily throughout the voting period. Let’s win the distinction as the 2014 Local’s Only winner.

For more information, contact Marti Mayne at 207-856-6331.