Through the efforts of the city of Jamestown, Jamestown attractions, including the Lucy-Desi Center, Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Fenton History Center, Reg Lenna Civic Center and Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena, the Downtown Jamestown Development Corp. and the Gebbie Foundation, a branding effort has been launched featuring a logo and tagline developed through an extensive research effort by North Star Destination Strategies, a nationally recognized marketing company specializing in community brand development.
Michael Sullivan, marketing consultant, recently retired from Chautauqua Institution, has been engaged to lead the branding implementation.
"This is an important and timely effort to position Jamestown as a community poised to grow its tourism, manufacturing and other businesses,'' he said. ''Community branding is an essential and, often overlooked, economic development tool."
The branding effort will enable the city, the attractions, the business community and others to enlighten their audiences to the remarkable strengths of the Jamestown area.
"The first order of business," Sullivan said, "is to engage the community in the branding process. Nothing is more important than to have the people who live and work in Jamestown appreciate how special our community is and all that we have to offer. Building the Jamestown brand is the work of everyone who cares about the city."
The branding tagline is based on the idea that the more visitors get to know the community "up close" the more "wonderful" the community becomes. According to the research done by North Star Destination Strategies, Jamestown is well-positioned to attract both visitors and employers. The consultant's analysis is based on the fact that "for those interested in an urban vibe and accessible creative center, Jamestown is a year-round hub for recreation, productivity, culture and curiosity centrally located between Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Toronto with passions for learning and laughter that tickle the senses and engage the mind."
The Jamestown attractions, ease of travel, recreational opportunities, scenic beauty and proximity of major markets combine to give the area an attractive target for economic development.
The branding strategy calls for the development of a highly interactive website at jamestownupclose.com, media kits, signage, brochures, public relations campaigns and more. It will also be connected to and complimentary to the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau "The World's Learning Center" Campaign.
"This is not a quick fix but a very thorough, long-term plan that will be implemented and sustained over a long period of time,'' Sullivan said. ''It is an outgrowth of the Urban Design Plan which has made a huge difference in the appearance and development of the community. These are active, vibrant efforts not "sit-on-the-shelf" plans."