Place Branding for Small Municipalities

Place Branding is a regular topic here on Branding Strategy Insider. We have covered the process as well as other angles of the discipline. Admittedly, the focus of our blog posts and our consulting work has been on large municipalities. A recent inquiry from a small town in South Dakota (USA) inspired us to design an approach specifically for smaller municipalities with limited resources.

We are now offering an inexpensive and proven turn-key approach to successfully branding small and medium sized municipalities to residents, businesses and tourists. The output is a brand promise that is unique, compelling and believable for your municipality and a tagline that articulates that promise.

The process includes the following steps:

•    INFORMATION REVIEW: Information gathering with key stakeholders including mayor, city manager, visitors and convention bureau, economic development agency, business improvement districts, business owners and cultural institution leaders
o    Includes review of research, websites and marketing documents/presentations
o    Focuses on identification of strengths/assets
•    DEVELOPING BRAND PROMISE OPTIONS: Development of up to 25 brand promise options based upon strengths/assets
•    TESTING BRAND PROMISE OPTIONS: Testing of brand promise options with the most important target audiences (residents, businesses, tourists) through an online survey
o    Evaluation criteria include relative appeal, uniqueness and believability for your municipality
•    SELECTING BRAND PROMISE: Recommended brand promise/positioning

•    DEVELOPING TAGLINE: Development of a tagline that succinctly and powerfully communicates this brand promise
•    Optional:
o    Developing a municipality logo to accompany the tagline
o    Developing street banners featuring the municipality logo and tagline
o    Developing a comprehensive brand marketing plan
o    Community consensus building facilitation

We will present our findings and recommendations in writing and in person.

Total elapsed time for all steps: 1 month

Our team is led by renowned branding expert Brad VanAuken.

To learn how this exercise can build your brand reach us here.