Rebranding and Marketing: Critical Components of Economic Development and Redevelopment
Rebranding a community — and building the toolbox for the marketing that follows — is one of the most fun and most misunderstood parts of this work. Here are the stories from five Florida communities I have served: Palatka, Maitland, New Port Richey, Crescent City, and Tarpon Springs.
By Charles Harris Rudd
One of the critical components of Economic Development and Redevelopment, that is also really fun, and something I have accomplished in the last 5 communities that I have served is rebranding and creating a toolbox as a foundation for future marketing efforts. Usually, there is already a well-tenured logo that has served the community well for a decade or more. Or there is no marketing icon, and a dated city seal is used for marketing.
Palatka: "It's Our Nature"
In Palatka, we were rife with tag lines such as "Azalea City," "Gem of the St. Johns," and "River City." The old city seal was the only icon used for the city. We were surrounded by the St. Johns River, the Ocala National Forest, tree farms, and cabbage/potato farms. If you asked folks what was great about Palatka, they would often say, "It's Our Nature." That became our tag line and can be a clever twist on words. "Cycling, it's our nature!" Palatka has recently rebranded again, and the new brand looks great, congratulations! The brand created while I was there served the city well for nearly 15 years. It was time to rebrand.
Maitland: where good things "Come Together"
In Maitland we were creating a downtown from scratch, and we needed a downtown brand. The city had a 15-year-old logo that had served them well. We were creating a place where the community could "Come Together," instead of always going to neighboring cities. This tag allowed us to promote "Downtown Maitland, where Good Friends and Good Food Come Together." "Downtown Maitland, where Art and History Come Together," etc. We ended up rebranding the entire city and that logo now appears on the I-4 Ultimate overpasses in the city. That was 10 years ago, so they may be looking at a refresh.
New Port Richey: celebrating downtown's success
New Port Richey was using the city seal for several decades and we created a great brand to celebrate the success of the downtown. It was a lot of fun rolling it out. It includes both a new city brand and the downtown brand. It tied into an already existing new wayfinding system and became the basis for new banners, entry features, and a huge social media campaign. My Marketing Specialist, Jacob Fried, did an excellent job of rolling it out.
Crescent City: "Life Between the Lakes"
In Crescent City, again, the seal was being used and it was well worn. There weren't many bass left in Crescent Lake so "Bass Capital of the World" didn't fit. We enjoyed our "Life Between the Lakes" and that became our tag line. It was lots of fun playing with the crescent moon in all the logo variations for special events.
Tarpon Springs: "Where Greece meets the Gulf"
Tarpon Springs also had a well-worn seal and a font logo that was informally developed years ago. Some commissioners didn't even realize it was the marketing logo. "Sponge Capital of the World" was more of a nod to history than a market position. The newly adopted logo preserves the past but with a fresh look. "Where Greece meets the Gulf" is more relevant to today's market as well. The potential buildout of the brand platform with district logos for the Historic Downtown, Greek Town, the Sponge Docks, the Fruit Bowl, etc. is exciting.
The folks who resist — and why it is worth it anyway
Inevitably, there are folks who hold on tightly to the old logos and resist the change. In more than one community, one elected official would insist that we wouldn't use the new logo despite its adoption. Eventually, the new logo becomes the norm and is embraced by the community. There are also folks that will say it was a waste of money. Incredibly, they also admit they know nothing about marketing, which explains it. It is not only well worth the money, but the process needs to be repeated after a period of time, like your Redevelopment Plan or Strategic Plan update. Marketing your community to not only visitors but to your own residents is a critical component of economic development and Redevelopment. You are marketing to potential businesses and investors. A great branding toolkit will make it easier and fun!
A big shout out to Arnett Muldrow and Associates, who I worked with for the first four communities. They do a great job and are so creative! Also, to 365 Degree Total Marketing for their work with us in Tarpon Springs. The brand palette looks great!