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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCDCRes2015.07.01ANNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION RESOLUTION NO. �1 0 IS 07-01 ('6.0() A RESOLUTION OF THE ANNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A PROMOTIONAL EXPENDITURE FOR A COMMUNITY BRANDPRINT WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Anna Community Development Corporation (the "CDC"), created by the City of Anna, Texas (the "City"), in accordance with Article 5190.6, V.A.T.C.S., Section 4B, and now operating under Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 501 and other applicable chapters (the "Act") has found that it is in the best interests of the Corporation to authorize the expenditure of funds for one-third the cost of the Community BrandPrint being offered by North Star Destination Strategies: and WHEREAS, the CDC's funding of Community BrandPrint is subject to the approval of the Project by the City Council of the City of Anna ("City Council") and also subject to a project agreement being reached between the CDC and the City; and WHEREAS, the CDC Board of Directors has investigated and determined that its contribution toward the cost of the BrandPrint is a promotional expense that will be for the benefit of the community and will promote new or expanded business enterprise and economic development. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ANNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THAT: Section 1. Recitals Incorporated The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein for all purposes as if set forth in full. Section 2. Authority to Execute Proposed Plan of Finance The CDC approves and authorizes the expenditure of promotional funds for 1/3 of the cost and not to exceed $26,000 without further Board approval, of the Community BrandPrint being offered by North Star Destination Strategies to the City of Anna. This funding is subject to City Council approval. CDC OF ANNA, TEXAS RESOLUTION CCOC) PAGE 1 OF 2 PASSED AND APPROVED by the Anna Community Development Corporation this 61- day of , 2015. �_\71Z91V/:I�� Jo n Houcek, CDC President CDC OF ANNA, TEXAS RESOLUTION NO��SL�?�I CCD() PAGE 2 OF 2 Exhibit A NORTH 4 STAR SCOPE OF WORK i. EDUCATION AND BUY -IN Helping stakeholders understand branding One of the most valuable skills North Star brings to the branding table is an understanding of how best to navigate the political waters that surround such a project. This "intangible" benefit is strictly a result of experience. We know when projects can derail, how to maneuver difficult political situations and who to include in the process. With this in mind we have developed strategies for sidestepping potential problems and keeping your branding initiative on course. North Star also provides tactics for the use of a brand as a pivotal rallying point to help forge win -win partnerships between the public and private sector. Such partnerships can help fund the brand initially and eventually fund its integration into the community. In addition, working toward the common goal of the brand inspires non-siloed teamwork within the public sector that results in more effective use of limited resources. Early understanding is also critical to the smooth implementation of a community brand. Educating your citizens, businesses and stakeholders on the purpose, process and possibility of a brand early is the first step in achieving buy -in from these important audiences. North Star has created an array of educational tools designed to elicit understanding of and support for the Anna branding initiative. Educational Presentation: Live PowerPoint presentation (during the in -market trip) to private and public sector stakeholder groups (determined and assembled by client) for purposes of educating and furthering buy -in of community branding. Press Release: General discussion on what a brand is and does. Highlight need for the public's help during the process. Educational PowerPoint: Community branding PowerPoint presentation given to client for use in making additional presentations, for distribution to interested parties or for placement on community websites. Educational Brochure: For distribution to general public if needed: • North Star will work with Anna to write and lay out the brochure to the point of a print -ready file. • Anna is responsible for providing information for customized writing and printing. ANNA, TX BRANDPRINT Exhibit A NORTH A STAR SCOPE OF WORK 2. RESEARCH AND PLANNING What are current brand perceptions? This stage addresses the current positioning of the community; in other words, how Anna is perceived by visitors, stakeholders, residents, businesses and prospective visitors. We evaluate the environment, the competitive situation, community attitudes, current communications and perceptions of target audiences and their influencers. North Star strongly advocates a mixed method approach to research where quantitative studies tell you "What" and qualitative studies tell you "Why". Only through mixed methodology can your community obtain a true picture of where your brand is now, why, where it should be and how that preferred identity can best be accomplished. COMMUNITY Situation Analysis: Questionnaire and meeting with stakeholder groups to understand your primary objectives, general history, political landscape, resources, competitors, etc. Research and PlanningAudit: Comprehensive review of research and planning documents. Communication and Media Audit: Review of existing marketing materials from public and private sector stakeholders as well as recent press related to Anna. Familiarization Tour: Tour of commercial sites, business and technology parks, red carpet tour (experience how you sell your community), housing developments, downtown, retailers, restaurants, outdoor recreation areas, parks, the arts, etc. Key Stakeholder Interviews: One-on-one interviews with key stakeholders to gather perceptions. Stakeholder Focus Group: An in-depth group discussion with the individuals responsible for driving the branding initiative. Vision Survey (200 Distributed): An open-ended questionnaire distributed to the community leaders of Anna. Online Community Survey (Unlimited Respondents): A quantitative version of the Vision Survey posted online for community -wide participation and promoted using social media. Brand Barometer: A tool to measure the strength of Annas resident advocacy relative to the rest of the United States as a place to live, work and play. Undercover Interviews (15-20): Informal discussions with residents, local merchants and visitors. ANNA, TX BRANDPRINT Exhibit A SCOPE OF WORK LLJ I'v :i U rd LfiJ Tapestry® Consumer Profile: Using the home addresses of visitors to Anna, Tapestry provides a visitor profile that is entirely unique to your consumer. Lifestyle, preferences, media usage, buying behavior and more, this report is useful for budget allocation, product development and event planning. • Who Report: Consumer demographic and socio-economic classifications; this report also compares your consumers to the profiles of your community. In other words, are your residents like or unlike your visitors? • What Report: Profile of consumer lifestyle and media habits such as media usage, household buying preferences, recreational interests, civic involvement, dining choices, retail preferences, lodging tendencies, travel behavior and more. • Where Report.- Grid showing relative comparisons of feeder markets based on the highest concentration of core consumers. Consumer Mapping.• Origin information from existing databases (inquiries, lodging properties, attractions, etc.) Social Media Monitoring and Analysis: North Star provides a snapshot of Anna's social brand across the following platforms: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Picasa, Flickr and Viddy. Social media brand observations will be used to guide brand action for purposes of digital marketing strategy suggestion. Top Business Prospects: A proprietary program that identifies a list of top business prospects using the combination of a psychographic workforce profile and current successful industries in Anna. It then determines complementary businesses within a predetermined mile radius. This data will also be applied nationwide to cities that have a similar population size and workforce to pinpoint areas of opportunity for Anna. Will be used to guide brand action for purposes of economic development. This study yields between 100 - 300 target businesses and provides c-suite level contacts for each. Qualitative Perception Study: Telephone interviews to gather insights from influencers to include, but not limited to: economic development prospects, site selectors, relocation executives, meeting planners, group tour operators and regional and state -level economic development and tourism executives. Quantitative Perception Study (200+ Completes): Survey conducted using a statistically significant random sampling of consumers and non -consumers in outside markets using existing inquiry records. Data will be cross -tabulated in a number of ways to reveal the most insightful patterns between consumer and non -consumer groups. For instance, perceptions and attitudes for those who have visited Anna will be compared and contrasted to those who have not visited and are reporting perceptions purely on reputation. This Consumer and Non - Consumer Awareness and Perception Study measures: o Overall awareness and perceptions of Anna. o Overall awareness and perceptions of the competition. o Consumer visitation patterns to Anna. o Attitudes regarding Anna's strengths and weaknesses. o Consumer opinions regarding what needs to be added or taken away. o Changes in consumer perceptions of Anna after visiting. o Patterns of visitation activities associated with consumer's primary purpose of visitation. ANNA, TX BRANDPRINT Exhibit A SCOPE OF WORK NORTH A STAR L f,i L!iiIU. 1 Competitive Positioning Review: A brand message assessment to evaluate Anna's position relative to the competition. Competitive Perception Review: During every phase and study of the research process we look for opportunities to learn more about Anna's top competitors, including internal and external awareness and perceptions of their strengths and weaknesses. All findings are combined in a competitive review that paints a succinct picture of the competition. Specifically, the vision survey, online community survey, quantitative perception study, focus groups, stakeholder interviews, undercover interviews and the qualitative perception study inform the competitive perception review. Tapestry° Residentvs. Region Profile: A detailed market segmentation report to better understand what distinguishes Anna from the region, using ESRI's Arcview, Tapestry and Business Analyst software - including U.S. Census Bureau data and consumer buying behavior data from Mediamark Research Intelligence (MRI). • Who Report.- Resident socio-economic classifications. • What Report.- Profile of resident lifestyle habits such as media usage, travel behavior, household buying preferences, recreational interests, civic involvement, dining choices, retail preferences and lodging tendencies. ANNA, TX BRANDPRINT Exhibit A SCOPE OF WORK 3. iiJS Where is the heart of your brand? NORTH,4 STAR The goals for this initiative may involve a number of elements: cohesive community identity and consistent marketing efforts, collective community conscience, uncovering community uniqueness, developing a community presentation to economic development prospects, highest use of available resources, resident recruitment/retention and gross receipts. Branding influences these goals by influencing expectations and affecting attitudes, thus affecting behavior and usage. The most successful brands establish an emotional — not simply an intellectual — connection. Our insights come from asking a number of thought -provoking questions: What brand "story" does the research tell? What emotional attachments can the brand hold? What are Anna's core values? How does the brand fit into the consumer's lifestyle? How can the brand best be used to elicit Anna's desired emotional/behavioral responses? It is from these insights that we determine your DNA. These insight questions are compiled in a succinct storyline that leads directly to Anna's DNA Definition. This DNA is the critical touch point for all branded activity moving forward. For maximum brand impact, all efforts, thoughts, communications and actions should literally and symbolically support its essence. Situation Brief. Review of all research findings. Blue Sky Meeting: Internal session for developing insights based on significant research patterns and findings. "Understanding and Insights" Presentation: Comprehensive review of all relevant research and recommended strategic direction. DNA Definition: The guiding statement for the management and development of your brand including: Target audience: Consumers for whom community has the most appeal. Frame of reference: Geographic context of the community. Point of dierence. What makes your community special. Benefit: Why it should matter to the consumer. NOTE: Here we conduct a meeting to present all of the research findings as well as our recommended brand positioning based on those findings. Brand Platform approval is required before proceeding. ANNA, TX BRANDPRINT Exhibit A NORTH, STAR SCOPE OF WORK 4. CREATIVITY How should your brand look, feel and sound? In this stage , we will transform all the data and high-level strategies into tangible creative products that embody your brand. Straplines and logos (with graphic standards) are created. Foundation creative recommendations and looks are created, including targeted marketing messages and advertising, digital design and content recommendations (web portal, social media), collateral materials, stationery and a color palette. Additional deliverables may also be developed, including environmental applications, signage, promotional items, economic development prospecting packages and more. Written Creative Concepts: North Star will provide three different written concepts for bringing your brand platform to life creatively. Also included is a round of revisions to the selected concept. Logos & Graphic Identity Looks: At least five different logo options and two distinct looks with a round of revisions to the selected option. This collaborative process results in a unique and memorable visual identity for your brand. In a word, how will your community's brand look? Note: ?here is critical collaboration that takes place at this point with a small select group of marketing stakeholders to address the written creative concepts and the development of the foundationalgraphic identity. North Star then provides solutions for the remainder of the creative work based on that agreed -upon direction. 41 Brand Narrative: Takes the foundation of the written concept and breathes life into it through an artistic interpretation of language. Its purpose is to help residents, businesses, influencers and consumers connect and embrace the emotional story of the brand to their own lives. It contains inspiring language meant to describe Anna's assets as they relate to your new brand and to garner excitement among brand drivers, brand partners and regional stakeholders. 41 Custom Deliverables: Using the new creative direction, North Star will assist the client in identifying a list of custom deliverables that target your specific goals. Typically those ideas might include: Graphic standards guide Strapline development Color palette Stationery design PowerPoint slide design E-newsletter template Printed collateral design Sample print advertisements Brand vocabulary Infrastructure design Website design application Mobile Website and app design Social media design application Signage design Wayfinding design Merchandising ANNA, TX BRANDPRINT Exhibit A SCOPE OF WORK 5. ACTION How should your brand be integrated? NORTH 4 STAR In this stage, North Star develops a must -do strategic action and communications plan following your brand's development. This plan comprises of action steps that ensure the brand gains traction and maintains momentum. Many of these tasks involve setting up the organization and cooperation that will propel your brand forward. Our goal - and yours - is to make sure that the Anna brand is the guiding principle for your future, not just a logo and line on your letterhead. As part of this action plan, we will craft a selection of high -impact custom action ideas designed to raise the profile of your DNA and put it to work in every corner of your community. Custom ideas generally fall into the following categories: • Festivals (repackage existing events/festivals or develop new ones that connect to your brand strategy) • Policy (laws or measures that support the brand strategy.) • Sports (tournaments, events, youth sports, etc.) • EnvironmentalApplications (look at your community as if it were a canvas) • Tourism (marketing, communications, training, products, packaging, merchandise, etc ... all specifically related to tourism.) • Economic Development (marketing, communications, training, outreach, resources, etc... all specifically related to economic development.) • Arts (public art campaigns, partnerships with art organizations, art contests with visitors, residents, students, artists in residence programs.) • Private Sector (ideas and tools to engage businesses and other private sector organizations.) • Exports (goods that are manufactured, grown or packaged in your community for export; even a famous person or idea from your community can be considered an export.) • Purpose Initiatives (charities, sponsorships, etc.) • Awards (civic awards, organizational awards, etc.) • Education (programs in schools, small business/entrepreneur mentoring, education for front-line hospitality staff, etc.) • Sustainability (residential green initiatives, tax incentives for green industries, etc.) • Health (community health programs, school -based health initiatives, business - based health initiatives, hospital and health care agency partnerships.) • Events (any organized activity that ties back to the brand ranging in scope from festivals to health fairs to career counseling to community clean-up days.) • Incentives (tax incentives for businesses, entrepreneurs, art organizations, etc. that are in line with the brand strategy.) • Master Planning (design and development of infrastructure and support systems that correlate with the brand strategy.) ANNA, TX BRANDPRINT Exhibit A SCOPE OF WORK 6. EVALUATION How the brand is performing NORTH4STAR Evaluation yields new information, which may lead to the beginning of a new planning cycle. Information can be gathered from concept pre -testing, campaign impact in the marketplace and tracking studies to measure a brand's performance over time. Ideally, two basic questions will be answered: have responses to the brand among target audiences changed in the way the BrandPrint intended? And have these changes resulted in action that will achieve the desired objectives of the brand? No single measure of success works for something as complicated as a community brand. As such, every research study in this plan is designed to produce benchmarks and results that can be used for comparison with future studies in areas of advocacy, return on investment, perceptions of the existing Anna brand and attitudes regarding how well Anna performs as a place to live, visit, do business and attract a talented workforce. Additionally, our 15 years of branding experience have shown that true success can be seen in the spread of excitement, inspiration and innovation among your stakeholders around the brand. 'this is a "soft measurement" but it is vitally important. North Star builds hours into our process for mentoring with our clients. We also provide a 12-month follow up. However, we do not limit communication to this instance. Your success is our success, and everyone at North Star - from the president and CEO to the office manager to our research assistants - takes the success of our clients personally. Toward that end, we are always available to answer questions and help with problems. In short, we have maintained an ongoing personal and business relationship with most of our clients, some for more than a decade. 12- Month Check Up. Recommended Measures of Accountability: Online Brand Perception. Qualitative Perception Study. Quantitative Perception Study. Brand Barometer. Use of the Brand Narrative in the private sector. NOTE: Here, we conduct a final online presentation that delivers the creative product, the brand action ideas and recommended measures of accountability. A final report is produced that delivers these items as well as the research findings, insights and DNA definition. ANNA, TX BRANDPRINT Arrange Time for Getting Started Conference Call (1 hour) To review all steps and procedures Everything for the Call is included in this package Provide Project Team Contact Info Name, title, organization, email, and phone for those on the project who should receive regular Status Reports from North Star, and/or those on any boards or approving bodies (please provide v-cards where available) AUDITS: Research and Planning AND Communication and Media Audits This is how North Star learns where you have been Pertinent information related to Anna from various standpoints: economic development, tourism, new residents, Chamber, downtown development groups, and arts organizations Research and Planning Audit: Comprehensive review of research and planning documents (last 24 months). Include survey instruments, results and raw data. Communication and Media Audit: Review of existing marketing materials and media plans Please provide this information by September22. Situation Analysis Questionnaire to understand your primary objectives, general history, political landscape, resources, competitors, etc. This document is provided in this package and should be completed and sent back to North Star by September 22. Please review this document and distribute to sections responsible parties for completion. Gather e-mail Addresses of Business and Community Leaders Prepare list of e-mail addresses for distribution of the online, qualitative Vision Survey. We will provide a link for you to send via e-mail to 300-400 community leaders. We anticipate that this survey will be conducted in late September or October. Identify Educational Needs Discuss educational elements including a PowerPoint presentation made to stakeholders during the In Market to help the community understand branding and cultivate buy -in, interest, and participation in this project. Review any press release content required. Identify the information that we will need from you to establish these tools. Discuss Dates for In Market Trip Consider possible dates for the In Market visit to Anna in August 2015. We will discuss North Star team members for the In Market trip during the Call. Requested activities for trip listed below North Star will provide a template for building the itinerary ahead of the Getting Started Call Coordinate In Market Activities Draft itinerary due to North Star three weeks prior to In Market visit Introductory Meeting: meeting with key project personnel and North Star team to discuss In Market logistics, Situation Analysis and additional details for the trip Familiarization tour: asset -based FAM tours can combine visits to sites with relevant stakeholder interviews in those areas Stakeholder interviews: one-on-one interviews with elected officials, key stakeholders, staff and economic development and tourism -related interests Focus group(s) Educational presentation to Anna stakeholders Secure Accommodations for North Star Team Because clients can often secure comped or discounted rooms, North Star clients often arrange for In Market trip lodging accommodations for the team Please let North Star know if you prefer to make arrangements, or if we shall handle those arrangements once the general schedule and itinerary are determined Identify Key Competitors Prepare a list of Anna's competitors. Although a full list of competitors is requested in the Situation Analysis, we are seeking a list of Anna's top 5 overall competitors. If there is no overlap between tourism competitors and those in economic development, then we ask for the top 3 tourism competitors and the top 3 for economic development. Gather Contact Information for Perception Study Interviews Prepare list of email addresses and phone numbers with names and affiliation for additional interviews from both a tourism and economic development perspective: • Tourism: Meetings market representatives, group tour leaders, travel writers, peer CVB organizations and regional/state tourism executives • Economic Development: Site selectors, C-level business leaders, developers, past business prospects and regional/state economic development professionals Secure Data Needs Maps and Shapefiles (.shp, .shx and Abf) of the Anna footprint. Discuss Visitor or Inquiry records available.