Key Challenge
The sun after the storm . . . Large scale natural disasters are so all encompassing, they can come to define a place. How then can a city move beyond the reputation of disaster victim to an identity grounded in prosperity? Consider the case of New Orleans. Ravaged by hurricane Katrina more than five years ago, the city suffered an exodus. But after a lot of hard work, the Downtown is open for business and ready for prosperity. What Katrina destroyed is being replaced with some of the world’s best facilities. Despite that, the national conversation about New Orleans is still focused on Mardi Gras and recovery. Seeking to attract Industries of the Mind, the Downtown Development District (DDD) needed to change the collective subject, focusing instead on progress, innovation, opportunity and success.
Critical Insight
North Star research found that New Orleans is at once a place with an internationally renowned, authentic and inspiring framework that is also a clean slate. The city has become a productive, prolific laboratory for ideas and reform across many sectors, public and private. Headlines have been earned with advances in education practices, improved housing and even alternative energy. But that story is not coordinated or frequent enough. Research regularly revealed a deficit in marketing and promotion.
According to North Star CEO Don McEachern, “The city provides an environment of freedom and collaboration where people can design their own preferred future and lifestyle while contributing to the renaissance and rebirth of one of the world’s most authentic cities. The relationship this city has with her creative class is so passionate, mysterious and fiery; she literally is a Modern Muse for Industries of the Mind. New Orleans may not be for everyone, but when the chemistry is right between this city and those she inspires . . . well, anything is possible.”
Brand Strategy
North Star recommended targeting Industries of the Mind with a strategy that positions Downtown New Orleans as a collage of distinct communities and opportunities whose absolute cultural authenticity makes it a muse (source of intelligence and inspiration for creativity) that fires the imagination and energizes you to shape a prosperous future – yours and the city.
Creativity focused on the idea of the city being both a muse and a blank canvas, inviting innovators to “raise your own bar.” Complementary logos were developed for the DDD and Downtown New Orleans using a fresh, modern color palette that does not rely on stereotypical New Orleans’ colors. The DDD logo was designed with an almost three-dimensional effect. The Downtown logo is available in horizontal and vertical orientations and uses a simple, bold, contemporary style designed to make a big impact in large and small spaces. Ads feature New Orleans entrepreneurs positioned in front of larger-than-life canvases that speak their mind about the city. Brand narrative sparks a connection between this city of sharp contrasts and the people who might make it their own.
Initial Concept
One of the ways North Star brings your community brand to life is with a Brand Identity package, which is the creative representation of your community brand. Creative goodies include recommendations for a logo, strap line, color palette, print ads, outdoor boards, t-shirts, websites and more! (Note: The “initial concept” is North Star’s recommendation. As our client’s brand implementation progresses we will provide their “evolution of the idea”!)
Brand Action
Bringing a two-dimensional downtown brand to life in a three-dimensional community
takes a strong brand action plan. Following are a sampling of action ideas from
the hundreds developed specifically for Downtown New Orleans. All were designed to
help them wear their city brand like a second skin.
Results
Research for this initiative was focused on creative class and economic development helping the DDD to identify target markets and areas of expansion. Following this research and the release of the brand, New Orleans has been busy with redevelopment to create jobs, instigate facade improvements, encourage real estate development and more. The results of their efforts are evident in their most recent accolades:
- Number 1 city and large metro area for information jobs in the U.S.
- Number 1 brain magnet in America
- 2nd Best Big City for Jobs
- MarketWatch's "Best Cities to Do Business" survey ranked New Orleans "Most Improved" metro in the U.S.; New Orleans moved up 44 positions in the ranks
- Southern Business & Development chose New Orleans as the Co-Major Market of the Year and Louisiana as State of the Year
- Southern Business & Development ranked New Orleans as one of the top 10 places in the South where digital media has clustered
- CareerBliss chose New Orleans as the Number 13 Best City to Work
- Site Selection magazine named Louisiana as the nationa's 7th Best Business CLimate
- Area Development magazine ranked Louisiana the No. 1 state in the U.S. and was ranked in six additional Top 10 categories
It is also evident in this long list of successes in 2011:
- Downtown construction permits increased by 35% in 2011, resulting in $175,490,737 in new construction
- Downtown’s apartments and condos increased to 2,875 units
- Downtown’s hotel room capacity grew to 21,013 rooms with the opening of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans and the Saint Hotel
- Restaurants and sidewalk cafes increased to over 175 and 32, respectively. Downtown welcomed new eateries like Merchant, Manning’s, Walk-Ons and St. Marie
- Since 2005, Downtown’s economy has boasted:
- Over $3.6 billion of real estate investment
- Our Downtown residential population doubling
- Breaking ground on the world’s largest hospital project
- Serving as Louisiana’s largest employment center with 62,000 jobs
- Downtown hosted two significant ground-breakings:
- $1 billion University Medical Center
- RTA’s $45 million Loyola streetcar expansion
