Categories: Business

Experience Regina’ campaign ‘greenlighted’ without approval by senior managers, report says

An independent review has found that no changes to the work of the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) are needed following the controversial “Experience Regina” rebrand.

Tim Reid will continue in his position as President and CEO (PCEO) of REAL.

“There is no apparent need to fire anyone connected to this episode,” the report read.

“While it would be an easy solution to just blame the PCEO and demand a resignation that would be foolish and unnecessarily expensive.”

The 114-page report, which was made public Thursday, outlines recommendations and a way forward after REAL tourism’s leading reform faced an immediate backlash when several slogans were issued that sexualize the City of Regina and plays on the city’s name, especially the fact that it is gender-equal.

“Recognizing the mistakes made in launching the Experience Regina brand, the REAL Board of Directors is committed to a constructive path forward that best represents our City and our citizens,” said said Wayne Morsky, chair, REAL Board of Directors in a news release.

“Completing the independent review is a critical step in this process, and we want to be transparent with our stakeholders and community members as we move forward.”

The recommendations include reviewing the organizational structure of REAL and Tourism Regina and ensuring “appropriate leadership, management and accountability,” reviewing committee charters, procurement policies and risk priorities and determining what which information should be shared with the board to allow it to fulfill its responsibilities.

In addition, the report calls for a focus on direct management to review the project’s internal management, external communication and decision-making authority as well as the creation of a tourism advisory committee to “ensure that Tourism Regina reflects and includes the citizens of our community.”

‘THE INCIDENT’

The report, produced by George B. Cuff & Associates Ltd., based in Spruce Grove, Alta., sheds light on the situation behind the scenes in the months and weeks before the launch of the brand.

According to the timeline, on March 9, Reid learned that the logos, colors and manifesto were “complete and considered good.”

Later the same day – a REAL employee – “without mentioning their supervisor, lit up the release of the slogans of [Experience Regina] website,” the report stated.

Among them are “City that Rhymes with Fun” and “Show Us Your Regina.”

Following the launch of the brand on March 16, social media lit up with criticism of the revamped website and slogans.

“The ‘incident’ occurred on a large scale due to a lack of management oversight, lax procedures, inadequate policy guidance and unavailable senior staff who knew what to expect,” the report read. .

“While there are undoubtedly mitigating factors affecting how the release of unapproved slogans occurs, lack of adequate supervision is one of them.”

These issues, according to the report, were caused by a sudden change in senior leadership.

“What was unexpected was the relatively sudden transfer of those at the senior management level who should have been in a position to ensure the timeline was followed, and commitments met,” the report read.

This fact directly led to some procedures not being followed.

“The PCEO advised us that the staff at Experience Regina was given the REAL playbook on how to create a new brand, which REAL has recently been successfully used, but now it is understood that it was not followed,” said the report.

The review summarizes the causes of the incident as: