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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW Agenda Item IV 09/09/2008 Mount Prospect INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM Village of Mount Prospect Mount Prospect, Illinois TO: VILLAGE MANAGER FROM: PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2008 SUBJECT: MARKETING PLAN UPDATE BACKGROUND In May, staff presented to the Village Board recommendations for a Branding and Imaging Campaign and an Action Plan for Marketing the Village. To review, interviews with the community at large were conducted (both resident and non- resident), as well as extensive stakeholder interviews. Based on that research, several "Brand Strategy" concepts were developed. Through workshops and focus groups, the concepts were narrowed down and the final Brand Strategy presented to the Village Board in May was "Mount Prospect: Right Place, Right Time." The logo image and tag line "Be A Part of It" were also presented at that time. There was discussion among the Village Board with regard to the proposed tag line to be used in the campaign. Staff was asked to issue a survey to obtain the public's feedback on the tag line to be used. DISCUSSION Staff created and distributed the survey from May - August. (ATTACHMENT A). The survey was distributed in the following manner: · Presentation to the Business Community of the Retail Market Analysis · Art Fest/Blues Fest Event - June 21 · Information desk at the Mount Prospect Public Library . Link on Village Web Site · Emailed to Downtown Merchants' Association and Chamber of Commerce Members I. Survey Results - Community At-Laroe (ATTACHMENT B) (includes web site responses and compiled written responses) In the Community survey results, "Be a Part of It" led "Right Place, Right Time" in favorable ratings. 64% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with statements related to "Be a Part of It," versus 43% for "Right Place, Right Time." Marketing Plan Update September 5,2008 Page 2 The purpose of a tag line is to convey the Brand Promise. Respondents were asked if the tag lines conveyed the brand promise. Mount Prospect's brand promise is: "There are many reasons for people and businesses to want to be in Mount Prospect - friendly neighbors, healthy economic climate, thriving business core, and a location that puts the entire region at its fingertips. By providing a premium quality environment for retail, commercial and residential success, Mount Prospect holds the promise of bright opportunities for everyone. " Comments for "Be A Part of It" included: . It indicates that there is a lot going on here. It makes you curious as to what's going on. . It exudes participation and interest . This slogan makes me feel like I want to experience all of the great things Mount Prospect has to offer. Comments for "Right Place, Right Time" included: . It conveys that there is a bright future for Mount Prospect, but it doesn't invite me to experience all of the great attributes of the town. . This seems to be something I would think of for a one time event. Right place, right time usually refers to a one time thing. It wouldn't think of it in regards to a town. It makes me think "right place, right time for what?" . It shows that there are many opportunities in Mount Prospect, but it is not inviting. We also asked for comments on the logo image. Mount- f'rorecr Responses included: . It seems to convey opportunity. . Upbeat, energetic . It seems like we need to make the "new" mount prospect a little bit happier which this slogan represents a fresh approach . Happy, positive, bright, refreshed, new. Marketing Plan Update September 5, 2008 Page 3 II. Survey Results - Business (ATTACHMENT C) We invited the business community to participate in the survey through the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce and Mount Prospect Downtown Merchants' Association. "Be A Part of It" garnered a slightly more favorable response with 61% responding strongly agree or agree with statements related to that concept, compared to 51 % for Right Place Right Time. Comments for "Be A Part of It" included: · The slogan conveys the feeling that something exciting is happening in town and it would be a great feeling to be included in the positive movement. · It sounds inclusive - as if businesses and residents and visitors are welcome. Then we just need to deliver on that. . It makes me feel like I should get involved. Comments for "Right Place, Right Time" included: · The slogan conveys the feeling that there has never been a better time to be involved with the positive changes that are going on in Mount Prospect. · It makes me feel like now is the time to do something in Mount Prospect. · No- this sounds like a fast, open and shut opportunity (like an event), not a lifestyle opportunity. Logo Comments: · Bright, distinctive and a feeling of moving fOfWard! · It's clean and simple, a nice positive image. · Happy because of the cheerful colors, sun graphic and movement of the "swoosh" at the bottom. This image gives me a positive impression of Mount Prospect. It is important to remember that the logo and tag line are just one part of the overall branding strategy. "These are just two-dimensional brand tools." 1 1 "Talk from the Trenches: Top 12 Community Branding Blunders and How to Avoid Them," by Don McEachern, Public Management, September 2008 Marketing Plan Update September 5, 2008 Page 4 Our community is our brand. "Your brand rests in the minds and hearts of other people. It is what they say about you when you're not around. It can be influenced and shaped by marketing materials. What has more influence over the things people say about your community: Your logo or someone's experience in your community? Your positioning line or what a prospect hears from a friend?" 2 Staff has endeavored over the past year to create a foundation for building our brand upon. We have been consistently using the new logo on marketing materials. We believe that through our efforts, we have generated interest and excitement from residents, the business community and even the larger regional community. Through new events like the Blues Fest and French Market, and new initiatives like the Calendar of Events and street banner program, people are taking notice. We are excited about even more new events planned for the fall and winter - such as Oktoberfest (in conjunction with the Downtown Merchants), a tree lighting ceremony and Family New Year's Eve Party (in conjunction with the Mount Prospect Park District), not to mention old favorites like the Winter Parade. These events will not only help to encourage participation and pride from our residents, but will also raise our community's profile in the region as a destination, as a place where things happen. An important element in many of these initiatives is that they have been partnerships. Whether it was with businesses, service clubs, or other government entities we have asked them to "Be A Part of It" and they have all responded with great enthusiasm. We are grateful for the Village Board's support for the marketing program and look forward to continuing it into 2009. During 2009 Budget Discussions, the Board was presented with several options for levels of funding for the Marketing Plan for 2009. The consensus was to proceed with Level 2, which will continue the efforts started this year with some expansion in advertising and outreach (ATTACHMENT D). Again, these efforts will be coordinated with the Community Development Department's Economic Development program. RECOMMENDATION Based on the survey results, staff recommends that "Be a Part of It" be used as the tag line for the marketing logo. Additionally, staff requests funding for FY 2009 of $71,736.00 for continuation and expansion of the Marketing Plan. I look forward to further discussion of this initiative. Maura EI Metennani Public Information Officer 2 "Putting Communities at the Center of Branding," by Don McEachern, Public Management, June 2006 Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan Eli 1Il', ~ ~ 1 *' :a";f! 0 '" " ,,' ~ R ;: S ,\ll A tag line is defined as an "often repeated phrase associated with an individual, organization, or commercial product; a slogan." A tag line typically accompanies a logo. * 1. Does the tag line "Be a Part of It" make you feel: strongly agree agree disagree strongly disagree N/A Welcome 0 0 0 0 0 That there is a lot going 0 0 0 0 0 on Like you want to learn 0 0 0 0 0 more Like you want to come to 0 0 0 0 0 a n event Like you want to shop 0 0 0 0 0 here Like you want to dine 0 0 0 0 0 here Like you want to open a 0 0 0 0 0 business here Like you want to live here 0 0 0 0 0 * 2. Does the tag line "Right Place, Right Time" make you feel: strongly agree agree disagree strongly disagree N/A Welcome 0 0 0 0 0 That there is a lot going 0 0 0 0 0 on Like you want to learn 0 0 0 0 0 more Like you want to come to 0 0 0 0 0 an event Like you want to shop 0 0 0 0 0 here Like you want to dine 0 0 0 0 0 here Like you want to open a 0 0 0 0 0 business here Like you want to live here 0 0 0 0 0 Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan '. :!!\'" "v' ~. ~ :, ;ill ' ,,01t:a n"_Uiliili ~ z,4.~u:&~" = "'0Yi;;t7 Att; ~ ::::i!\'< ""Iu::" ~l " $ :ill " 11:::: . !i~~ ~it ,M, > i ; ~'" 'P" S Brand Promise A brand is the promise you make and the associations that resuit from your ability to keep that promise. Mount Prospect's Brand Promise is: "There are many reasons for people and business to want to be in Mount Prospect - friendly neighbors, healthy economic climate, thriving business core, and a location that puts the entire region at its fingertips. By providing a premium quality environment for retail, commercial and residential success, Mount Prospect holds the promise of bright opportunities for everyone." * 1. Do you feel that the slogan "Be a part of it!" conveys Mount Prospect's Brand Promise? How? * 2. Do you feel that the slogan "Right Place, Right Time" conveys Mount Prospect's Brand Promise? How? * 3. How does this image make you feel? * 4. What is your age range o 18-29 o 30-44 o 45-59 060 + 5. What is your gender o Male o Female Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan 6. Are you a o Resident of Mount Prospect o Non-Resident Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan - Business 1. Tag Line A tag line is defined as an "often repeated phrase associated with an individual, organization, or commercial product; a slogan." A tag line typically accompanies a logo. * 1. Does the tag line "Be a Part of It" make you feel: strongly agree agree disagree strongly disagree N/A Welcome 0 0 0 0 0 That there is a lot going 0 0 0 0 0 on Like you want to learn 0 0 0 0 0 more Like you want to come to 0 0 0 0 0 an event Like you want to shop 0 0 0 0 0 here Like you want to dine 0 0 0 0 0 here Like you want to open a 0 0 0 0 0 business here Like you want to live here 0 0 0 0 0 * 2. Does the tag line "Right Place, Right Time" make you feel: strongly agree agree disagree strongly disagree N/A Welcome 0 0 0 0 0 That there is a lot going 0 0 0 0 0 on Like you want to learn 0 0 0 0 0 more Like you want to come to 0 0 0 0 0 an event Like you want to shop 0 0 0 0 0 here Like you want to dine 0 0 0 0 0 here Like you want to open a 0 0 0 0 0 business here Like you want to live here 0 0 0 0 0 Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan - Business 2. Brand Promise Brand Promise A brand is the promise you make and the associations that result from your ability to keep that promise. Mount Prospect's Brand Promise is: "There are many reasons for people and business to want to be in Mount Prospect - friendly neighbors, healthy economic climate, thriving business core, and a location that puts the entire region at its fingertips. By providing a premium quality environment for retail, commercial and residential success, Mount Prospect holds the promise of bright opportunities for everyone." * 1. Do you feel that the slogan "Be a part of it!" conveys Mount Prospect's Brand Promise? How? ~ * 2. Do you feel that the slogan "Right Place, Right Time" conveys Mount Prospect's Brand Promise? How? ~ Mount- Prorcr * 3. How does this image make you feel? I ~ * 4. What is your age range o 18-29 o 30-44 o 45-59 060+ 5. What is your gender o Male o Female Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan - Business 6. Are you a o Resident of Mount Prospect o Non-Resident 7. Do you D Own a Business in Mount Prospect D Work in Mount Prospect D None of the Above 3 ATTACHMENT B Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan Tag Line Survey 1. Does the taa line "Be A Part of It" Make you feel: stronal~ aaree aoree disagree stronal disaaree N/A Welcome 32 30% 40 38% 19 18% 10 10% 3 3% That there is a lot going on 34 32% 42 40% 15 14% 10 10% 3 3% Like you want to learn more 30 29% 42 40% 18 17% 9 9% 3 3% Like you want to come to an event 31 30% 47 45% 16 15% 7 7% 3 3% Like you want to shop here 19 18% 39 37% 31 30% 13 12% 3 3% Like you want to dine here 22 21% 36 34% 30 29% 13 12% 4 4% Like you want to open a business here 18 17% 33 31% 16 15% 13 12% 15 14% Like you want to live here 30 29% 44 42% 17 16% 8 8% 6 6% 216 26% 323 38% 162 19% 83 10% 40 5% 2. Does the taa line "Riaht Place, Right Time" Make vou feel: strongly agree agree disagree strongly disagree N/A Welcome 20 19% 29 28% 33 31% 16 15% 6 6% That there is a lot going on 19 18% 27 26% 36 34% 17 16% 5 5% Like you want to learn more 18 17% 33 31% 33 31% 14 13% 4 4% Like you want to corne to an event 20 19% 30 29% 34 32% 16 15% 6 6% Like you want to shop here 19 18% 23 22% 42 40% 19 18% 5 5% Like you want to dine here 16 15% 23 22% 40 38% 20 19% 6 6% Like you want to open a business here 18 17% 21 20% 36 34% 17 16% 13 12% Like you want to live here 16 15% 30 29% 33 31% 16 15% 10 10% 146 17% 216 26% 287 34% 135 16% 55 7% 9/5/2008 Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan Tag Line Survey Age Range 18-29 30-44 45-59 60+ 15 27 35 15 16% 29% 38% 16% Skipped Question: 13 Gender Male Female 36 56 39% 61% Skipped Question:13 Resident Resident Non-Resident 75 17 82% 18% Skipped Question: 13 9/5/2008 ATTACHMENT C Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan Tag Line Survey - Business Does the tag line "Be a Part of It" make you feel: strongly Answer Options stronalvaaree aaree disaaree disaaree N/A Welcome 4 12% 22 67% 4 12% 2 6% 1 3% That there is a lot going on 6 18% 17 52% 6 18% 2 6% 2 6% Like you want to learn more 4 12% 20 61% 4 12% 3 9% 2 6% Like you want to come to an event 5 15% 20 61% 4 12% 2 6% 2 6% Like you want to shop here 3 9% 14 42% 10 30% 4 12% 2 6% Like you want to dine here 3 9% 14 42% 10 30% 4 12% 2 6% Like you want to open a business here 4 12% 15 45% 6 18% 4 12% 4 12% Like you want to live here 4 12% 16 48% 6 18% 3 9% 4 12% 33 13% 138 52% 50 19% 24 9% 19 7% Does the tag line "Right Place, Right Time" make you feel: strongly Answer Options strongly agree aaree disaaree disaaree N/A Welcome 3 9% 12 36% 13 39% 3 9% 2 6% That there is a lot going on 5 15% 12 36% 12 36% 2 6% 2 6% Like you want to learn more 4 12% 17 52% 8 24% 2 6% 2 6% Like you want to come to an event 3 9% 14 42% 13 39% 1 3% 2 6% Like you want to shop here 1 3% 13 39% 16 48% 1 3% 2 6% Like you want to dine here 0 0% 16 48% 14 42% 1 3% 2 6% Like you want to open a business here 3 9% 15 45% 10 30% 2 6% 3 9% Like you want to live here 3 9% 14 42% 10 30% 2 6% 4 12% 22 8% 113 43% 96 36% 14 5% 19 7% Chamber and Downtown Merchants' Survey Results 9/5/2008 Village of Mount Prospect Marketing Plan Tag Line Survey - Business What is your age range Response Response Answer Options Percent Count 18-29 3.2% 1 30-44 19.4% 6 45-59 54.8% 17 60 22.6% 7 answered question 31 skipped question 2 What is our gender Response Percent 41.9% 58.1% answered uestion ed uestion Answer 0 tions Male Female Are ou a Response Percent 41.9% 58.1% answered uestion ski ed uestion Answer 0 tions Resident of Mount Non-Resident Response Count 13 18 31 2 Response Count 13 18 31 2 Do you Response Response Answer Options Percent Count Own a Business in 38.7% 12 Work in Mount 54.8% 17 None of the Above 12.9% 4 answered question 31 skipped question 2 Chamber and Downtown Merchants' Survey Results 9/5/2008 2009 Proposed Marketing Budget Item Description Marketing/Design Services Event Coordination Campaign Concept Design Services for Ads, banners, etc. Cost $30,000.00 Advertising Local Newspapers Journal & Topics Pioneer Press Print ads Web expandable button Holiday insert Daily Herald 6-Pack (6 ads any section) Oaklees Guide 13 weeks @ $289 $3,700.00 13 weeks @ $444 $3,882.00 3 events @ $375 $1,125.00 $647.00 8 runs @ $580 $4,640.00 2 Ads @ $902 $1,804.00 4/month - 6 months @ $75 each $1,800.00 4-week run - 3 @ $500 $1,500.00 4 week run - 4 @ $150 $600.00 2 @ $5,700 $11,400.00 2 @ $2,091 $4,182.00 2 @ $3,288 $6,456.00 Total $71,736.00 Bus Stop Signs Metra Ads 1-sheet platform poster Train Car Card Comcast Commercials (TV) 8 week run, includes production Chicago Magazine Ads Crain's Chicago Magazine Ads ATTACHMENT D 9/5/2008 Talk from the Trenches Top 12 Community Branding Blunders (and How to Avoid Them) by Don McEachern n June 2006, I wrote an article for PM magazine that outlined the basics of community branding. At that time, momentum for the practice was just start- ing to build, and a lot of local government managers and leaders had questions about branding's who, what, when, where, how, and why. What a difference a few years make! Branding has taken off, and it is the rare local government leader who has not heard of it, considered it, or tackled it. But for every strong brand that is produced, there are a slew of branding bum- bles. And often the fault is not the brand but the process. A political misstep at a critical juncture can derail a good brand faster than you can say, well, oops. So, here are 12 branding blunders managers don't want to do during the branding process: I. MAKE YOUR BRAND ABOUT A LOGO AND A TAGLlNE. A logo and tagline are two-dimensional brand tools. A brand in its entirety should be three-dimensional, just like your community. Many communities, though, present a new logo and tagline as the result of a branding process. This is the number one mistake many communities make. Because they are so subjective, logos and taglines almost immediately divide people into different camps. And once people start fighting about the image in the logo or the message in the line, it is impossible to turn their attention to anything else you are doing. Public Management September 2008 Also-and our company has seen this happen countless times-if you unveil your brand just by showing the logo and line, you will hear: "We spent $X dollars for that logo?!? My uncle Ed could have done that for free." Actually, when it comes to what your branding dollars bought, a logo and line are only the tip of the iceberg. You also should have received tons of research, strategy, creative render- ings, and action ideas. But all that is harder to understand and commu- nicate, so the press and the people paying attention tend to narrow the focus to the logo and line. Solutions: . Bring the brand to life in ways other than just logo use before you make a public presentation. (Read more about this in num- ber 12.) · When you talk to the press about your new brand, talk about the logo and line only in the context of the other great things you are doing and plan- ning for your community. Con- sider developing a talking-points list with highlights from research, insights, brand platform, and some action ideas. Talk about fu- ture plans for bringing the brand to life. · Spend time gathering grassroots support for the brand, including the logo and line, before you make it public. Having a solid support base of stakeholders goes a long way toward quelling dissent. (Read more about this in number 9.) 2. LAUNCH A LINE WITHOUT ANY BACKGROUND CHECKS. The community tagline landscape is extremely crowded. Not infrequently, a community lands on the perfect line only to find that the same or similar line is being used somewhere else. This is only a problem when commu- nities compete, right? Wrong! Communities on opposite sides of the nation-even those in dif- ferent countries-want a line that is unique to them, period. ICMA.org/pm Solution: Go through a trademark search before introducing your brand's line. This solves several problems. First, you can avoid duplicating any- one else's line. Second, if your line is close to another community's (which is often the case) you can make an informed decision about whether to proceed with it, which will help you defend your position later. Finally, if you want to protect your own line, the process allows you to do so. A logo and tagline are two-dimensional brand tools. A brand in its entirety should be three-dimensional, just like your community. 3. DISREGARD A VOCAL CITIZENRY. Some citizens are vocal with their dis- content with everything, and branding makes a juicy target for them, particu- larly when a local government hires a vendor outside the community to help with this. Sometimes when a local gov- ernment has its hands full with a citi- zen uprising over a logo, the dispute is grounded in the fact that locals weren't part of the design process. Solution: Why rock the boat if you don't have to? Although it is critical that an objective (outside) eye be brought to the research and strategy stage, creative development can be accomplished just as well (and some- times better) by local talent. If you have an outspoken citizenry, select local talent with whom a vendor can partner on the process. Knowing that home talent has created a logo, a line, or any other creative goes a long way toward obtaining its buy-in. 4. PROCEED WITHOUT RESEARCH. Branding without research is like building a house without a blueprint. It can be done, but the result won't be square! A solid body of qualitative and quantitative research is the only way to determine what your brand es- sence actually is. In fact, the research that should be performed at this stage takes up about 70 percent of the total process. Not only will this research help guarantee a brand that identifies the true essence of the community, it should also give you the back- ground and ammunition to launch future initiatives. Several compa- nies, for example, have used con- sumer profiling research revealing resident retail habits to pursue new restaurants and hotels. Others have launched specific brand-based initiatives to deal with the self-esteem problems citizens have regarding their communities. Spartanburg, South Carolina, com- pletely switched from an external tourism campaign to an internal image-building campaign based on the findings of its research. Solution: Do research obviously! Make sure you talk to citizens, stake- holders, outsiders, tourists, business owners, and state and regional pro- fessionals in the areas of economic development and tourism. Gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Include a study to determine socio- graphic and psychographic trends. Track inquiries and visitors. Perform a competitive analysis and a communi- cations analysis. s. IGNORE YOUR CULTURE AND HERITAGE; FOCUS SOLELY ON YOUR ASPIRATION. Branding combines the culture and commerce of a local government, and the best brands do give a community room and resolve to develop. But if you build your brand entirely upon dreams for the future, it's the equiva- lent of false advertising. For example, I was reading a blog by residents who were furious that their brand was go- ing to focus on a fountain that had yet to be approved, much less built. Public Management September 2008 The frustrating part of this is that what you are-if uniquely presented- is enough. One of my favorite tourism brands is Hattiesburg, Mississippi, which focuses on the city's hospitality, family entertainment, and value. Not particularly sexy, but the logo cam- paign was enormously successful. It featured the line "Stay with Friends," along with a creative that centers on a female person who speaks to tourists with down-home wisdom and warmth. Three years and many awards later, numbers are way up! Solution: Believe in your commu- nity. (If you don't, no one will.) A brand is found in the spirit and heritage of a community, not in its stakeholders' big ideas for the future. 6. ENGAGE THE PRESS FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING THE UNVEILING. This is a biggie. Local media are considered the watchdogs of com- munity welfare. And, for a lot of your residents they are the single communication liaison with com- munity affairs and activities. I don't think it is overstating things to say that media support can help make or break your brand at the onset. If your first brand interaction with the media takes place on the day of your rollout, chances for positive coverage go way down. Solutions: . When you start the branding pro- cess, you or your branding vendor should meet with local media to talk about the initiative. At that point, start describing the exten- sive amount of research and stra- tegic thinking that are the founda- tion of the brand. Provide talking points. Don't couch this as a search for a new logo and line! · Work to obtain buy-in throughout the process by involving the media in various aspects of the research, including focus groups, online surveys, and perception calls. They are smart, intuitive, and creative people with a finger on the pulse Public Management September 2008 of what's happening in your com- munity. · Solicit their help with initiatives like announcing the community survey. · When it comes time to launch your brand, speak directly with the me- dia to make sure your desired mes- sage is conveyed. Prepare another talking-points list that includes key research, action plans for the future, strategic thinking, and so forth, along with the line and logo. Branding is not about compromise or even consensus. It is about determining the strong singular message that will leverage your community's strengths. The quickest route to watered-down pabulum is trying to please all the people all the time. 7. BRAND BY COMMITTEE. Branding is not about compromise or even consensus. It is about deter- mining the strong singular message that will leverage your commu- nity's strengths. The quickest route to watered-down pabulum is trying to please all the people all the time. Solution: Limit the size of the group making branding decisions. During our organization's process, a larger group of stakeholders approves the strategy. But the client is asked to select just three people to be on the creative evaluation team. Sometimes (for political reasons) more people need to be included. In every case when that happens, the quality of the work goes down while the prob- lems go up. 8. APPLY STRICT CONTROLS FOR USAGE BY PRIVATE SECTOR AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES. A key component of branding your local government is to get businesses and organizations involved in its use. Brand usage cannot be a free-for-all, but if your community is too control- ling, few organizations will want to embrace it. Solution: Provide ideas. Provide tools (camera-ready logo, premium items, signage), but leave room for customization so people can feel they really "own" the brand. Dub- lin, Ohio, provided its local busi- nesses with long lists of fun ways they could incorporate their "Irish is an Attitude" brand into their organization (all ideas left room for original thinking). They also offered assistance in helping busi- nesses get things done. As a result, participation has been extremely high. 9. REVEAL YOUR BRAND TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT STAKEHOLDER BUY-IN. The more support you have gar- nered for the brand prior to roll- ing it out to the public, the more successful it will be. Informed stakeholders become advocates while uninformed stakeholders can become brand adversaries. Solution: Develop a top-notch brand presentation and have members of your branding committee present it one-on-one to stakeholders. Talk about what the brand can do for the community as a whole and for them specifically. Ask for their support. Leave them with brand merchandise such as a lapel pin they can wear around town. McKinney, Texas, spent months talking to local heavy hitters before making any aspect of the brand public. As' a result, they had lots of support and lots of major brand initiatives on the drawing board by the time it was introduced to the public. 10. HAVE YOUR COMMUNITY VOTE AMONG SEVERAL LOGO CHOICES OR MAKE A CONTEST OF CREATING YOUR COMMUNITY'S TAG LINE. This is branding by committee taken to the extreme. And no matter what direction you go, citizens whose input was not selected will feel disenfran- chised. Bottom line: you almost never see this approach yield a strong logo or line. Solution: Again, if you feel like your citizenry is adamant about having local representation in the creative manifestation of the brand, have your branding provider partner with a local firm for that aspect of the project. I I. BRAND YOURSELF. Self-branding is a little bit like self- analysis. As part of the community, a manager or a representative for the management staff can be too close to the situation to clearly identify and solve the problems. This is particu- larly true with certain stages of the branding process, namely research and strategy. Solution: Select a branding part- ner without a "dog in the hunt" to conduct the research and strategy. You will get much more honest and objective results. In addition, a new perspective can yield some surprising findings. Lancaster, California's self-esteem was pretty low. But research revealed that its clean, clean air and perpetu- ally sunny skies were both an allegory for the area's clear opportunity and a rare asset in the region (near Los Angeles). When presented with the Public Management September 2008 brand, "It's Positively Clear," city leaders loved it and were amazed that they hadn't been able to identify their clear air and clear opportunity as as- sets. They were simply too close to the situation. 12. ANNOUNCE THE BRAND WITHOUT SOME HIGH- PROFILE IMPLEMENTATION. Unveiling the brand before you have brought it to life in some high-profile ways (signage, bus wraps, Web site, public initiatives, and related ac- tivities) is asking for a lukewarm re- sponse . . . and often criticism of the local government's inability to follow through. In addition, if you haven't put in place some brand action ideas, all the focus will be on the line and logo. Solution: Your goal is to help lay- people envision the purpose and possibility of the brand. So, the more ways you can highlight it during roll- out the better. Say, for example, that your brand positions your community as the healthiest county in the South. You could launch your brand with a health fair. Other ideas: rewrite Web site copy so that it includes sections on healthy recipes, exercise, and smoking cessation; start planning a countywide fitness program; partner with health clubs, schools, parks and recreation, and health food stores on coordinated brand initiatives. Develop a branded fitness water you can hand out at public meetings. The list can go on and on. Don McEachern is president of North Star Brand Strategies, Nashville. Tennessee (don@northstarideas.com ). Secure the future of local government. Give to the leMA Fund for Professional Management. Learn more at http://icma.org/fund. COVER STORY Putting Communities At the Center of Branding magine for a moment you're not a local government manager. Instead, picture yourself as your locality's brand manager. Don't relax just yet. This is anything but a cushy position. Since it's your first day on the job, here's a simple task. Collect the mar- keting and communication materials from all the players on your team, including the convention and visitors bureau, the economic development group, the chamber of commerce, any arts alliances, and, of course, your own local government. Also take a minute to determine what the private sector is conveying about your community when it speaks to the outside world. Spread out these materials on a table. Do they have a similar look and feel? Are they integrated at some level? Are they relevant? Are they dis- tinct) Do your private sector compa- nies give an appropriate nod to your locality's brand? Do you recognize your brand? Is there even a common theme? If you answered yes to all these questions, stop reading. You're light years ahead of most places and prob- ably have a good handle on your brand. But if you were surprised by the incongruity of your community's marketing materials, you're not alone. The vast majority of local governments are in the same boat. In the words of a client who was recently given this as- signment, "What a mishmash!" DON'T PANIC This exercise illustrates why a local government should be at the center of a branding initiative. The various en- tities that make up your community operate with distinct agendas. They speak in their own unique voices. That's their job. But when a brand is launched, it is advantageous for a community to speak in one voice, and what is spoken needs to be strategic. Branding efforts of various groups, although individually well executed, often work against each other with counter messages if they are not co- ordinated. Only a local government operates in an umbrella fashion, with an eye toward making sure all enti- ties thrive. When a brand is managed by the local government, the brand stands a significantly greater chance of working for the locality as a whole. This means a brand has a greater chance of working, period. An added bonus: following the branding pro- cess, the diverse organizations and entities that worked on the initiative Public Management June 2006 often find themselves appreciating the other groups more and working with them on additional projects. By now a lot of managers may be panicking: "I'm willing to take this po- sition hypothetically, but I've got too much on my plate to take it literally!" Some communities may choose to have their managers handle their branding, but many of the govern- ments that I work with are successfully elevating the public information of- ficer, the communications manager, or the director of marketing and commu- nications to the role of brand manager. Forward-thinking communities may even want to consider being the first on the block to hire a brand man- ager. As the branding wave continues to grow in acceptance and impor- tance, it's only a matter of time until the significance of branding demands a specialized position. MANAGE BUT NOT OWN Notice that when I talk about local government's role in branding I say "manage," not "own." A number of problems are inherent in the idea of a locality wholly owning and controlling its brand. First, that type of control may affect buy-in from the bigger group, including the private sector. And buy-in is mandatory, from the perspectives of both implementation and financing. In addition, every four years or so a local government may experience a turnover in elected officials. I've had more than one client implement a dynamite brand, only to have it aban- doned by newly elected officials look- ing to make their own marks. Ideally, ownership of your com- munity's brand platform and brand identity should be held by a sizable and inclusive marketing partnership comprising local government as well as big and small players from the public and private sectors. And, although the amount of resources each group brings to the table can impact each group's in- fluence over the process-big fish will be big fish-all should be invited. Gainesville, Florida, for example, recently launched a branding initia- tive backed zealously and financially by an alliance of marketing profes- ICMA.org/pm Police cars in Warrensburg, Missouri, are among the city equipment that bear the new brand. The new logo also can be found on water towers, an old grain elevator, entry way signage, and hot beverage sleeves. sionals from 46 organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sec- tors, including such heavy hitters as the University of Florida and Shands HealthCare. This alliance will "own" the brand, making it invincible to po- litical pressure. According to Bob Woods, Gaines- ville's communication and marketing manager, the alliance did not happen overnight but has been well worth the wait. He credits City Manager Russ Blackburn with supporting the effort. "We have literally put together a team of emissaries for the brand," says Woods. "For this to work, we needed buy-in from the major institutions like the university and the city and county governments, as well as the nonprof- its, the major industry associations, and groups like the artists' associa- tions that contribute to Gainesville's social fabric. We have recruited mem- bers from every social level and demo- graphic strata that make up our city. This is truly a citywide effort." A team approach such as Gaines- ville's furthers the buy-in and adop- tion of the resuIting work. It keeps in mind the big picture for the com- munity, and it weathers changes in administrations. FROM INSIGHT TO INSPIRATION Let's say you accept the premise that branding begins with a local govern- ment (which you should). And, for the purposes of this article, you are still your community's brand manager. The next step is to review the process of branding, beginning with a defini- tion of a brand. Contrary to common thinking, a brand isn't a logo, a mis- sion statement, or even a positioning platform. Your brand isn't something you produce or provide to others, like an ad, brochure, or radio spot. Your brand rests in the minds and hearts of other people. It is what they say about you when you're not around. It can be influenced and shaped by marketing materials. What has more influence over the things people say about your community: Your logo or someone's experience in your commu- nity? Your positioning line or what a prospect hears from a friend? Although there are several ap- proaches to building a brand (some more complicated than others), the process I advocate involves four steps: Understanding. Research is conduct- ed to understand your community's physical attributes in relation to the competition, to glean the opinions of the stakeholders, to determine the perceptions of current and prospec- tive consumers, and to identify demo- graphic and psychographic infonna- tion about consumers. In other words, knowing your au- dience and knowing what your audi- Public Management June 2006 .., "For the first time in my career, I gave the okay for tagging to take place on Spartanburg's city streets," laughs City Manager Mark Scott, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Here, a manhole cover is tagged with the hub-bub logo. ence thinks of you are two basic laws of persuasive communication. This stage is a lot of hard work, but it should be a lot of fun too! Research- ers should talk to elected officials, residents, visitors, and business own- ers. They must test your community's attractions, dive into its history, and explore its economic development opportunities. They should visit neighborhoods, schools, museums, and traditional town squares. They should explore and fish (if that's what you offer!) and attend local meetings. They should eat and shop and check out your hotels. Insight. The most successful brands establish an emotional-not just an intellectual-connection. In other words, you now need to translate all those fascinating facts gathered dur- ing the research phase into emotional sparks that can bring your brand to life. Your brand strategy must be relevant to your situation while it differentiates you in the competitive marketplace. Imagination. During this phase, you breathe life and character into the understanding and insights that the process has revealed. For most com- munities, this is the most exciting stage. Here all the data and high-level strategies are transformed into tan- gible creative products that embody your brand. The results are consistent communication concepts (positioning lines, logos, ads, public relations, Web sites, outdoor boards, and so forth) Public Management June 2006 ..~ and strategic initiatives (civic awards, architectural guidelines for redevelop- ment, way-finding systems) that sup- pon the strategy. Evaluation. Finally, take time to make sure your brand is working for you. Put in place measures that track how your community's brand is perceived in the marketplace, and determine whether these changes in perception have worked to achieve the desired objectives of the brand. Just as I advocate placing local government at the center of brand- ing, I am adamant about the benefits of integrating research, strategy, and creativity into a single process. Piece- mealing the process opens up too many opportunities for disconnec- tion. How many of you, for example, have a thick book of research results sitting on your shelf right now? Ul- timately, research is useless without strategic and creative shaping to bring it to life for the consumer. It is just as problematic to proceed with a clever marketing campaign if research has not been conducted to determine the relevancy of that approach (or, as often happens, if re- search conducted by one company is being ignored by a creative agency be- cause the creative types didn't conduct it and they don't find it relevant). Marketing is merely a promise to the consumer of fun or creativity or safety or charm, and none of it means any- thing if the destination can't deliver. Finally, energetic, exciting, and relevant outcomes result more often when there is interaction among the people who conduct the research, the people who develop the strategy, and the people who cook up the creative. Countless times I have seen our re- search people confer with the creative teams, and even take them to focus groups and interviews, in an effort to further their understanding of a certain quality a community may possess. USE YOUR COMMUNITY AS A CANVAS As brand manager, you are respon- sible for identifying your local gov- ernment's brand and bringing that brand to life. Clearly, this will involve marketing, so you will be accountable for the effectiveness and the return on investment of your community's mar- keting efforts to both residents and the outside world. But it doesn't stop there. The brand must be represented in your commu- nity's architecture, in its events and attractions, in its public art and sig- nage, in the aesthetic overlays to de- velopment and redevelopment, in the attitudes of residents and public ser- vants, in the community's approach to entrepreneurs, and in its educational offerings. In other words, your com- munity must do more than advertise its new brand; it must wear it like a second skin. Columbus, Indiana, for example, has just launched its branding cam- paign and is currently in the process of inventorying all city property that can serve as a canvas for the brand, including water towers, storefronts, buses, police car doors, and signage. I encourage you to take it a step further and leverage relationships with com- munication providers. In exchange for the lease on cell and radio towers, ask for time on the airwaves to promote your brand. If you provide a cable company access to public institutions like hospitals and prisons, demand a little time on their channel. Of course, your community will never become a branding canvas with- out its local leadership. Because most continued 011 page 12 . :]~1IId~lIf';1II.1I11~ iii['1~. i&.~11~1I(;lIIIIII~ .-. . Sporting different personalities, distinct strengths, diverse weaknesses, and a broad array of defining characteristics, communities are as unique as snowflakes. Clearly, no single approach to branding will work for every community. Following are profiles of four communities. Each tackled the branding challenge from a slightly different angle al- though each local government was integrally involved with all. The resulting branding campaigns are making waves for these forward-thinking cities. Creating a Cultural Stir Thinking it had a tourism problem, the convention and visi- tors bureau in Spartan burg, South Carolina, initiated a branding study to address the issue. But early research showed that Spartanburg's problem went deeper than tour- ism. The mind-set of the internal audience-residents and students attending the city's five small colleges-was that Spartanburg was dead and that nearby Greenville was the place to go for entertainment. At that point, the branding shifted from a tourism initiative to a city-driven challenge. "I approached this whole branding project with a lot of cynicism," recalls Spartanburg City Manager Mark Scott. "I fig- ured we would end up with just a tagline and a logo, and I've never felt you should spend a lot of city money on either." Scott was shocked when, following the research phase, the word came back that Spartanburg was not ready for marketing to the public. The effort would be a waste of money and ultimately it would fail. "We didn't believe in our- selves yet," he says. "So how could we sell ourselves to the public? At that point I became a believer in branding. It was obvious this whole thing was about much more than a logo." Rather than focusing on external marketing, Spartanburg turned inward to create a virtual entertainment district promoting cool cultural happenings in the city. While the city was the brains behind the brand, the city's cultural leaders and icons became the faces and voices of the brand. Teams of artists, entertainers, educators, and retailers were formed, and each was tasked with creating a cultural stir within the city. The name of the project: hub-bub.com. "We got the right people involved and got out of the way," laughs Scott, who claims he must not be part of the hub-bub target market because he is never invited to its events. "We've got people allover the Southeast asking 'How did Spartan burg suddenly get cool?' Hub-bub comes ..... ..~,..,........ .~"'0"'''1''''' .i HUB-BUB~COM -- .- ICMA.org/pm up all the time. In fact, an article came out in the Greenville paper grouping us with Asheville in the cool category and talking about how Greenville needs to do something. We even made it to a Web site listing cool things recently'" Once it gained momentum, the movement took on a life of its own. Many of the city's young people can't tell you exactly what hub-bub is, but they wear hub-bub shirts, read the Web site, attend hub-bub events, and, if asked, will tell you, "It's cool." A brand manager position was created to handle this massive initiative, and now the brand manager works closely with the artists' groups that seeded the movement initially. The team charged with keeping hub-bub, well, bub- bling is about to move to the second floor of a renovated building in the heart of hub-bub country. Cool restaurants and shops and artists in residence will fill the rest of what is being called the hub-bub club. "Everyone wants to know how I got our city council on board with this," says Scott. "First, we have a credible mayor who believed it was the right thing to do. Second, we didn't try to sell it as the remedy for all our issues, just as seed money for a program to address a problem. There is no single big-idea solution for anything. Hub-bub is the culmi- nation of a lot of ideas and a lot of energy. "My advice to managers would be, make sure it's genu- ine," he concludes. "Your brand will only work if your people buy into it. It must be more than a marketing plan; it must be of the community." Unique by Nature McKinney, Texas. has grown up in the huge shadow of Dal- las. But, unlike most of the smaller towns on the outskirts of this megametropolis, McKinney is not a cookie-cutter bedroom community. McKinney has a solid dose of Texas swagger and a tendency to do things its own way. From its rolling hills, to its rich history and historic downtown, to its world-class golf course and planned communities. McKinney is a singular place. Without a doubt, that's why McKinney is the fastest-growing city in the United States. McKinney's problem was that although it was unique, it did not have anyone in charge of marketing (therefore, much of the outside world was ignorant of McKinney's many charms). Luckily, a forward-thinking city council rec- ognized the need for a cohesive marketing plan and hired CoCo Good as director of communications and marketing. "My first challenge was to bring together the six major groups in McKinney (the chamber of commerce, tour- ism, economic development, city government, downtown continued on page 10 Public Management June 2006 . :1 It: 1 II' r:llt:.lII' h II;HI iiil.lU....~11~1I(;.JIIIII:.)ra: . o J-- McKINNEY .__:~~. development. and community devel- opment) to brand our community." recalls Good. "Each group was doing wonderful work marketing itself. but none of them had a sense of the city. They even used different logos and different positioning lines on their communication materials. .... I Ii' "The city was the best choice to lead this initiative for a couple of reasons," she continues. "First. the city council drives McKinney's 30-year plan. We wanted our brand to capture not only what we are now but what we are commit- ted to being long term. Second, the city is like the hub of the McKinney wheel. and the civic organizations are the spokes. I am the only person who works with all six major groups." Good and a council comprising the major civic organi- zations went through the branding process and last year launched the city's new brand, which capitalizes on McKin- ney's self-sufficient. independent spirit as well as its unique natural setting. Good reports that promising things are hap- pening both internally and externally. "We're getting a lot of exposure." she notes. "That's great. but that's what we expected. An unexpected benefit has been the internal change in attitudes among our civic groups. The logo that came out of our branding was flexible enough so that each group could customize it somewhat. which helped obtain initial buy-in. By now most of the groups have stopped customizing. using the original 'Texas' version in order to better promote the city. "And while the logo is the most visible change. underly- ing attitudes have changed as well. The core branding group continues to meet regularly to discuss our various projects, sharing ideas and resources when possible. For the first time. everyone realizes that working together for the good of McK- inney means greater benefits for us all," concludes Good. Made Fresh Daily Home to the famous speech that coined the phrase, "man's best friend," Warrensburg, Missouri. was searching for a more relevant identity. Visitors. business leaders, and resi- dents alike had difficulty defining Warrensburg except as a small college town. The seed for the branding idea in Warrensburg was initially planted by Tammy Long. executive director of the Greater Warrensburg Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, after she heard about the branding success Public Management June 2006 of Cape Girardeau. Missouri. "When I heard their story. I thought. 'This is what we've been looking for. a common thread for our community.... Long brought the idea back to the city's board. "Like a good laugh. the idea was contagious," she says. "The cham- ber was a natural to take the lead although we were not 'in charge,' just 'overseeing.' We believed the more people who got involved. the better it would be for the entire community." Representatives of 35 organizations including commer- cial developers. bankers. utility companies. medical person- nel. school districts. city leaders. education groups. the chamber of commerce. and Main Street businesses attend- ed the kickoff meeting. Financial stakeholders were identi- fied within the group to fund the project.A marketing task force comprising members from the various stakeholder organizations and including City Manager Jeff Hancock was formed to oversee the project's progress. All members are considered equal partners. Research found that the transient population of Cen- tral Missouri State University (CMSU) and Whiteman Air Force Base (Whiteman AFB) creates a churn of people and ideas. especially because the number of people affiliated with these institutions is greater than the population of the town itself. This churn results in an unexpected level of youth. culture. and energy amid the rural charm of a small. Midwestern community. The resulting brand strategy homed in on the small- town comfort and charm of Warrens burg and contrasted that with a replenishing spring of people and ideas that makes you feel welcome. stimulated. and at home. "We have learned so much about Warrensburg from this process," Long stresses. "For the first time. diverse organizations understand the value of each other. This is a huge step for our community. We also learned that while we have three major players-Warrensburg. Whiteman AFB. and CMSU-we do not work independently of each other. Warrensburg is the 'big picture' and the two other entities are parts of the whole. The key to our branding success is that no one owns the brand. but we all believe in it because we were all a part of it." continued on page 12 /JJi\((ell\f;~( j ran stan Ing: our Itles . Real Texas Flavor The challenge for Mesquite, Texas, was that although the word "mesquite" is recognizable to almost everyone, few people associate it with a growing city in the Dallas metro- politan area. Sensing this awareness problem, the city coun- cil designated image enhancement as a priority project in the city's strategic plan. Image enhancement :::~:~gdh~n:~h::::::~~ MESQU I TE talization plan, which in time led to the idea of a new brand. Tom Palmer, head of the Mesquite Economic Development Foundation, was charged with lead- ing the branding and with working in partnership with the city council and City Manager Ted Barron. He took the ball and ran with it. "Our community works well together so it was natu- ral for the city to take the lead on branding. We included the convention and visitor's bureau from day one because increasing tourism is one of our top priorities," explains Palmer. "The process went really smoothly, even accom- modating the schedules of council members and repre- sentatives from different organizations. I would stress the importance of getting key stakeholders and relevant or- ganizations involved at the very beginning and thoroughly educating everyone involved on what they can expect from the process." Research showed that businesses love Mesquite's loca- tion and the "Texas work ethic." Visitors to Mesquite soon find it delivers a full dose of cowboys, different cultures, and hospitality, making it quintessential Texas. This authentic experience is just as rich and flavorful as the name implies, and it led to a natural brand strategy: "Mesquite is the authentic flavor of Texas today: Real. Texas. Flavor." As in McKinney, the logo and positioning line adapt to different audiences, allowing multiple public and private sector orga- nizations to put it to work. "Our brand has been incredibly well received," Palmer continues. "Right now we are trying to determine how to accommodate businesses in the private sector who want to use the brand for their purposes. It is exciting that so many entities want to jump on board with the brand. That speaks well for the pride they feel for Mesquite, which is ultimately what the council was after with image enhancement!" -Don McEachern, North Star Brand Strategies Nashville, Tennessee Public Management June 2006 continued from page 8 of what we're discussing is local property, your message will never make it to the storefront, the water tank, or the airwaves without government approval. In London, Ontario, Canada, this point was illustrated when the city launched a massive metamorphosis initiative to become a "creative city." According to Gord Hume, city controller, the city needed a state-of-the-art entertainment complex downtown in order to attract the entertainment and sporting activities that would create a buzz about London. But building the entertainment complex was not without controversy and could not have been accom- plished without government leadership. CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY MARKETING The four Ps of marketing are product, place, price, and promotion. The four Ps of community marketing are politics, politics, politics, and politics. By their very nature, cities and counties are composed of different groups with different interests, agendas, and turfs to protect. How can you manage your community as a co- hesi ve brand? Further complicating the problem is the fact that a single community can mean so many different things to so many people. Communicating effectively in today's clut- tered marketplace will require you to hone that tangle of feelings and thoughts to a single distinct point. All of this requires strong government leadership to keep branding from becoming bogged down "in commit- tee." Solicit input from your entire alliance but give actual decision making to only a few. Try to make the ultimate decision makers reflective of your community's makeup. Include, for example, representatives from the public, the private, and the nonprofit sectors. Stress early and often that branding is not about com- promise or even consensus. Branding is about determining the strong singular message that will define your commu- nity. It is about creativity and, yes, even risk. When all the subvoices within a community clamor to contribute their two cents regarding the brand message, the result too often is watered-down pabulum. Finally, have fun with the process. I've heard community branding referred to as a science, and in some ways it is. But despite all its scientific principles, at its core branding is about eliciting an emotional reaction. All the research, all the strat- egizing, all the logos and positioning lines and advertising are working toward one goal: the tiny reaction in someone's head or heart after an encounter with your brand. When the group charged with branding a community actually enjoys the process, when group members are ex- cited or even challenged by the research findings, when they are willing to take risks creatively and think like consumers rather than politicians, the resulting brand is almost always a winner. Don McEachern is president of North Star Brand Strategies, Nash- ville,Tennessee (don@northstarideas.com).