Key Challenge
Barking up the wrong tree. Remember the famous speech that coined the phrase, "man's best friend"? Warrensburg was the place where that speech was made. But this small city was looking for a more relevant identity than “dog-gone good town.” Other than some recognition as a small college-town, visitors, business leaders and residents alike had difficulty defining Warrensburg.
Critical Insight
North Star found that the transient population of Central Missouri State University and Whiteman Air Force Base is larger than the population of the town itself. This churn of people and ideas creates an unexpected level of youth, culture and energy amidst the rural charm of a small Midwestern community..
Brand Strategy
For those attracted to the comfort and charm of a small town but wary of small-town parochialism, Warrensburg is the ideal Midwestern community shaped by a replenishing spring of people and ideas that make you feel welcome, stimulated and at home.
Warrensburg’s constant renewal of ideas and energy is embodied by the line, “Made Fresh Daily.” The creative team landed on an approach that showcased the blending of ideas and cultures that is so surprising in a small Midwestern town. The end result is a campaign as fresh as the city that inspired it.
Initial Concepts
The "This is Warrensburg...So is This" campaign shows something you might expect to see in a small midwestern town, and something that you may not.
Evolution of the Idea
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 Warrensburg. All were designed to help them wear their brand like a second skin.
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Improve the Farmer's Market - What’s fresher than a farmer’s market? Look for ways to elevate the Warrensburg market into an attraction that draws people from around the region and celebrates agriculture. Ideas include unique restaurants, co-operative advertising, etc.
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Give locals credit - Recognize local grown products in the restaurants menus and in grocery stores using “Made Fresh Daily in Warrensburg” stickers/logos.
- Paint the town - Paint roof tops of barns off the interstate with “Warrensburg - Made Fresh Daily.” Paint silos like corn with “Made Fresh Daily.” Paint water tower by the softball field with the logo
