Today we started off the day by visiting the production site of a local newspaper, the Tyrconnell Tribune. The representative explained their process of creating each newspaper every week and what they focus on. He emphasized how they focus on the local community to draw people into the newspaper and make it more relevant to them specifically. For example, there was a festival in Downings, which is outside of the newspaper’s coverage zone, but many of their locals attended. The newspaper covered the Downings Festival, but their pictures were all focused on locals from the newspaper’s area so that the community could connect it to themselves. In this way, the newspaper builds its audience and trust by focusing on the community around them and appealing directly to them.

During the later part of the day, we visited McNutts of Downings, which is a textile manufacturer and gift shop. While the community paper focuses on the local environment to build its brand, the textile manufacturer can branch off into many different paths. When we spoke with one of the owners, he explained that they once worked with many global clothing companies to sell their products but had to adapt and switch to a more local focus instead. Now, they focus on selling to locals and tourists who visit Downings. This business model is similar to the newspaper in the sense that they thrive by building a local image, but they also serve tourists who are looking for an authentic local feel. This similarity has to do with their businesses being set in a rural location, which guides their models and allows them to use their local feel as an advantage in building their brands.