Key Challenge
A crowded playing field . . . Fort Collins, home to Colorado State University, award-winning microbreweries and action-packed outdoor activities is truly a topnotch place to live, work and play. But being great in highly competitive Colorado is not always enough. Despite all its charms, Fort Collins was losing business to big box development in surrounding communities, people to high-tech jobs in Denver and positive PR to a major university in Boulder. So, how’s a stand-out city supposed to stand-out in a crowd of stiff competitors?
Critical Insight
Stand out by standing up . . . Research revealed that Fort Collins has a collective community consciousness that provides its key competitive edge. From renewable energy to green building to community support of local business, Fort Collins is all about positive global change. And combining that positive energy with all the city’s other attributes makes Fort Collins a great place to recharge your personal batteries. Whether you want to renew the world’s energy or just your own, whether you want to start a new hobby or start a new business, whether you want a better tomorrow or a better vacation, Fort Collins is the place to be.
Brand Strategy
Target Audience: For anyone who wants the Colorado lifestyle, but also wants more out of life
Frame-of-Reference: Fort Collins is an authentic Northern Colorado college town in the foothills of the Rockies,
Point-of-Difference: where the environment creates a renewal of energy,
Benefits: so tomorrow has endless possibilities for pursuing your passions.
Brand Action
Bringing a two-dimensional 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 Fort Collins. All were designed to help them wear their brands like a second skin.
- Reach out to alumnae - Create an outbound email campaign to alumnae inviting them back to “Renew Your Relationship” with Fort Collins, CSU, old classmates and professors, etc.
- Send business prospects a package - Send top prospects recruitment materials packaged in a hiking daypack. Include energy related items such as energy bars/drinks, a compass and a GPS programmed with a map to Fort Collins and maps to other things in town that help ensure business success such as land for development, small business resources, office space, housing developments
- Give them a sign - Design city signage for high-profile corridors that reflects the renewal brand.
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Sell renewal in the stores - Set up end cap displays in grocery stores for Fort Collins energy bars and water. Place the displays in local stores as well as stores in Denver. The displays could also serve as trade show booths, college recruitment booths, etc.
