The Authentic Superior Mission & Vision

The Authentic Superior Vision

Those of us lucky enough to live here know how truly special & unique the south shore is. The combination of natural beauty, anchored by the great lake, the renegade spirit that living up here requires, and sense of place that goes with living in a small, rural community attracts and we’d argue fosters creative, independent-minded folks. It’s thus no surprise that the area has a plethora of artists & craftspeople.

Despite all that the region has to offer, the south shore is still a hidden gem to most of the “outside world.” Some would argue that’s not a bad thing, but longterm economic sustainability requires the attraction of outside money and an appealing place for newcomers to call home. And, ideally, the south shore region can build an economy that doesn’t rely so much on the foot traffic of tourists, so that we can weather future economic storms.

How can we accomplish this? We believe two key things will set us on this path:

One, the belief that “we all do better when we all do better”. We need to band together across the region, from Ashland to Iron River to Port Wing and all points in between. Support each other to not just survive but to thrive. Break down silos between townships and collaborate so we all can truly do better.

Two, we need a strong brand for the south shore region. One that conveys the story of the south shore to expand awareness, generated curiosity & excitement to drive more business to the region and, even more critically, to help us to bring our unique products & services to those who may not ever set foot in the region.

The Authentic Superior Mission

Why a brand? Without a consistent and compelling brand, it’s far more difficult to get the attention of media, grant monies, and most importantly, revenue from tourists & “outsiders” with money to spend on the rich output our artists, craftspeople, farmers, and other business owners produce.

With the strength in numbers of artists & craftspeople from across the south shore region and a strong brand identity, we are confident we can create a better foundation for a truly sustainable local economy.

Thus, we’re excited to announce the launch of what we hope will grow into the leading brand for the south shore region: Authentic Superior. The initial focus of this endeavor will be on activities that have the greatest potential economic impact on the region:

  • Setting up virtual storefronts for artists, craftspeople, and businesses in the region so they can sell their goods online.
  • Moving regional art crawls, studio tours, and other arts events online via creation of virtual tours and artist/craftspeople profiles.
  • Creation of a regionally-focused directory of artists, craftspeople, and food producers.
  • Launching the Authentic Superior brand to our core target markets, starting within the greater Midwest area.

Our 2020 - 2021 Roadmap