Loading...
8. EDSR 01-10-2011REQUEST FOR ACTION TO ITEM NUMBER Elk River Economic Develo ment Authori g, AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY 10 January 2011 Annie Deckert Marketing and Business Development Administrator ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED B)/ Appoint Branding and Marketing Subcommittee Lori Johnson Ci Adminiitrator REVIEWED BY ACTION REQUESTED Authorize staff to appoint members to the branding and marketing subcommittee BACKGROUND At the December 13th Elk River Economic Development Authority meeting, the EDA authorized staff to begin the RFP process and form a branding subcommittee to help facilitate and guide the City branding and marketing process until completion. A City wide branding campaign is an action step and will support the Goals that support the Vision, approved by the Elk River City Council at the October 18`" meeting. The RFP was distributed to various consulting firms and published on the League of MN Cities website. RFPs are due January 14`'' and will be reviewed by the subcommittee late January. Staff is exploring the availability for grant funds for a portion of the project. DISCUSSION The branding subcommittee will meet accordingly with staff and consultant and provide updates to their respective organization. Proposed members may represent more organizations than listed below. The EDA President and Staff are proposing the subcommittee be comprised of the following members: Ron Touchette EDA President, RockSolid Commercial, Energy City Commission, I'MCA Pat Dwyer EDA Commissioner, The Bank of Elk River Matt Westgaard City Council, Heritage Preservation Committee, Energy City Wendy Simenson Downtown River's Edge Business Association, Kemper Drug, Arts Alliance Alan Sakry Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce Board Chair, Mortgages Unlimited Larry Farber, Sherburne County Commissioner Chris Carlson Sportech N:\Departments\Community Development\Economic Development\Marketing\Branding\Memos\1.10.11 EDA Appoint Subcommittee.doc Andy Christenson Heritage Development Jay Lusigna Elk River Resident, Marketing and Communications Manager, Vision-Ease Lens Mr. Lusigna contacted staff after hearing about the branding process through the ERStar News. Staff met with Elk River resident Mr. Lusigna and feels his background in marketing and branding will be beneficial to the process. In addition to the above members, staff is proposing the following staff members to sit on the committee: Annie Deckert Business and Marketing Administrator Catherine Mehelich Economic Development Director Brad Rolfe Chief of Police Tina Allard City Clerk Michelle Martindale Elk River Municipal Utilities Steve Benoit Parks and Recreation Lori Johnson City Administrator Staff has met with all proposed subcommittee members to provide the background and process of this project. All members have indicated interest in participating. Members not represented on subcommittee will be included through the public participation component. This subcommittee is intended to be a temporary committee, unless otherwise recommended by the consultant and/or EDA at the time of branding and marketing strategy completion. Staff is seeking EDA approval on proposed subcommittee members. TIMELINE Below is the proposed timeline for the branding process: Jan 14~' 15L subcommittee meeting, introductions, background RFP's due Feb 4t'' Subcommittee selects top 3 finalists Feb 14`" Joint EDA/subcommittee meeting to view finalist presentations Subcommittee and EDA chose and notify finalist March- May Complete process with consultant and subcommittee N:\Depaztments\Community Development\Economic Development\Mazketing\Branding\Memos\1.10.11 EDA Appoint Subcommittee.doc May/June Presentation of branding and marketing plan to EDA and City Council for adoption Begin implementation plan Staff will provide verbal updates pertaining to the branding and marketing process to the EDA at their monthly meetings. Action Motion by Second by Vote Follow Up N:\Depaztments\Communiry Development\Economic Development\Mazketing\Branding\Memos\1.10.11 EDA Appoint Subcommittee.doc C OMMUNICATIOIV S CHALLENGP S AND O PP ORTUNT ITIE S Community Branding for Local Government Group branding efforts although individually well executed, often work against each other with counter messages if they are not coordinated. Only a local government operates ia2 an umbrella fashion, witl2 an eye toward making sure all e~ztities tl~rive. By Don 1~kEachern magine for a moment you're not a local government manager. Instead, picture yourself as your locality's brand manager. Since it's your first day on the job, here's a simple task. Collect the market- ing and communication materials from all the players on your team, including the convention and visitors bureau, the econonuc development group, the chamber of commerce, any arts alliances, businesses, and your o~vn local government. Do these materials have a similar look and feel? Are they integrated at some level? Are they relevant? Are they distinct? Do your private sector com- panies give an appropriate nod to your locality's brand? Do you recognize your brand? Is there even a common theme? If you were surprised by the incon- gruity of your community's marketing materials, you're not alone. The vast majority of local governments are in the same boat. This exercise illustrates why a local government should be at the center of a branding initiative.The various entities that make up your community oper- ate 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 s~ioken needs to be strategic. When a brand is managed by the local government, the brand stands a significantly greater chance of working. for the locality as a v~~hole.This means a brand has a greater chance of working, period.An added bonus: following the branding process, the diverse organiza- tions and entities that worked on the initiative often find themselves appreci- ating the other groups more and v~Tork- ing with them on additional projects. f~anage but n€~t etwn A number of problems are inherent in the idea of a locality v~holly o«ming and controlling its brand. First, that type of control may affect buy-in from the bigger group, including the private sec- tor.And buy-in is mandatory, from the perspectives of both implementation and financing. In addition, even-~~ four years or so a local government may experi- ence aturnover in elected officials. I've had more than one client imple- ment adynamite brand, only to have it abandoned by newly elected officials looking to make their own marks. Ideally, ownership of your connmu- nity's bran pat orm and brand identity should be held by a sizable and inclu- sive ma_ rketin~_partnership comprising local government as v~Je 1 ac hig and emall players from the public and private sectors. And, although the amount of resources each group brings to the table can impact each group's influence over the process, all should be invited. Fr~a~ iasigilt ~~ [aspiration The next step is to review the process of branding, beginning with a defini- tion of a brand.A brand isn't a logo, a mission 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 IVI INNES07A CITIES marketing materials. What has more influence over the things people say about your conununiry:Your logo or someone's experience in your commu- nity?Your positioning line or ghat a prospect hears from a friend? Although there are several approaches to building a brand, the process I advo- cate involves four steps: Understanding. Researchers should talk to elected officials, residents, visi- tors, and business owners. 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 v~hat 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.You now need to translate all those fascinating facts gathered during the research phase into emotional sparks that can bring your brand to life.Your brand strategy z mast 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. Here, all the data and high-level strategies are trans- formed into tangible creative products that embody your brand.The results are consistent communication concepts (positioning lines, ogos, a , pu c relations, web sites, outdoor boards, and so forth) and strategic initiatives JUNE-JULY ?.oo~ (civic awards, architectural guidelines for redevelopment, way-finding systems) that support the strate~y~. Evaluation. 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 objec- tives of the brand. Just as I advocate placing local gov- ernment at the center of branding, I am adamant about the benefits of integrating research, strategy and cre- ativity into a single process. Ultimately, research is useless «~ithout strategic and creative shaping to bring it to life for the consumer. It is just as problematic to proceed «~ith a clever marketing campaign if research has not been conducted to determune the relevancy of that approach (or, as often happens, if research conducted by one company is being ignored by a creative agency because the creative types didn't con- duct it and they don't find it relevant). Finally, energetic, exciting, and rel- evant outcomes result more often when there is interaction among the people who conduct the research, the people who develop the strategy, and the peo- ple who cook up the creative. Count- less times I have seen our research 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. U~~ }~a~r ca€~€nur~€ty as a ea€t~as As brand manager, you are responsible for identifying your local government's brand and bringing that brand to life. Clearly, this will involve marketing, so you will be accountable for the effec- tiveness and the return on investment of your conununiry's marketing efforts to both residents and the outside world. The brand must be represented in your conununiry's architecture, in its events and attractions, in its public art and signage, in the aesthetic overlays to development and redevelopment, in the attitudes of residents and public servants, in the community's approach to entre- preneurs, and in its educational offerings. In other words, your conununity must do more than advertise its new brand; it must wear it like a second skin. Of course, your community «-ill never become a branding canvas with- out its local leadership. Because most of «-hat we're discussing is local property; your message «-ill never make it to the storefiont, the water tank,. or the air- waves without government approval. Ia~a[6~~ges a~ c€a~rrt€€n€ty ~r~e~~€tg 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 cohesive brand% Furthe>• complicating the problem is the fact that a single community= can mean so many different things to so many people. Corrununicating effec- tively in today's cluttered marketplace «~ill require you to hone that tangle of feelings and thoughts to a single, distinct point. All of this requires strong govern- ment leadership to keep branding from becoming bogged down "in comnut- tee." Solicit input from your entire alli- ance, but give actual decision-making to only a few Tiy to make the ultimate decision-makers reflective of your com- munity's makeup. Include, for example, representatives from the public, the pri- vate, and the nonprofit sectors. Stress early and often that branding is not about compromise or even consen- sus.Branding is about determining the strong singular message that ~~ill define your co>nmumty. It is about creativity and, yes, even risk. When all the sub- voices clamor to contribute their two cents regarding the brand message, the result too often is watered-do~~-n. Finally, have fun v~~ith 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 strategizing, all the logos and posi- tioning lines and advertising are work- ing toward one goal: the tiny reaction in someone's head or heart after an encounter with your brand. ~ Dori McEach.ern is presidera.t of North Star Brand Strategies, Nashville, Ten.n.essee. E-mail: don@northstarideas.com. Excerpted by permission front t12e June 2006 issue of PM Magazine. Copyright 2006, International City/County 117anagement Association (ICMA), Washington, D. C. (~ d;ri LEAGUE of I MINi~I1;SOTA CITIES At the LMC.~rnual Conf rence in Duluth on Tune 37. the League celebrated the nnveilir:g of our nets- brand. All d.ecla_ients ofnc~ r,eu brand are based on what we heard from members in our snate~c plamung surcep and focus groups lasti-ear.The neiv LMC7ogo and tagluie, "Cormecdng ~ Lnnoratinosince 1913;'.«'i11 be dispia~ ed prot_,inentlz- in the League's commuriications from this poinr forsr-ard. The ne-,a~ brand refiec`s the League's strong histots of service ro Minnesota cities.ltis designed to: ^ Cor~~ey the pro.essionalism of the Lea~~e's prograri7s,ser«ces, and staff. ^ Reflectthe role of the League in con- necring our member cities to each ocher. ^ Reco~ize that the Leawe's innovative .approaches are an important part of oui organization's pzst, and critical to 1_eeping Minnesota communities strong and Vital into the f=store.. The clocktower is reminiscent of both the League building in St. Paul and o~ city hall and community cercers across Minnesota.. The dine (1.9:13 in military brie) reflects *_he year the League leas founded. Neiv web site address, Another n~aTisition of note that is comcidina with the launch of the nes~- Lead to brand: Our sveb site address is switching from hr~nc.or~ to lmc.ora. Hotia~ever; both addresses s,~ill direct }you to the LMC web site :orseveral years to come.. New staff e-anait addresses. League stmt e-n.ai1 addxsse~'~re als`v changing: Both the current e-mail adaresses (ending>si hnncorg) and the new e-mail addresses (en_ding in L-nc.oi-g) are currentl}~ opeia- tional-League stall can receive e-mail nom either address.~T enPect to beep both addresses operating for atleast three years. JUNE-JULY 200 MINNESOTA CITrEs