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Client: Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville Approves Marketing Money

By: Troy Kinsey - WCJB TV 20 News
January 23, 2006

The Gainesville City Commission on Monday approved a marketing partnership aimed at creating a new "brand" to attract tourists and new businesses and residents.

The 'Market Gainesville' alliance of local government, business and non-profit groups has committed to assist in the funding to formulate the marketing strategy, which will begin when North  Star Destination Strategies conducts their getting started meeting Feb. 1-3 to jump start the BrandPrint program.

"Much like the 'Big Apple' describes New York, or 'Virginia is For Lovers', we want a phrase, a logo, a look, a brand that people will respond to years in the future," said Market Gainesville Partnership Co-Chair Marilyn Tubb.
Specifically, the group is focusing on shying away from creating a brand closely associated with the University of Florida.

"This is really about the Gainesville community, which of course is much broader than just the University of Florida," said City of Gainesville Marketing Director Bob Woods. "This community, in and of itself, has a lot to offer. Certainly and clearly, the University of Florida is an essential part of it, but it's not the whole story."

The final strategy will be submitted to the group within eight months, at which point any final brand will begin to be applied to everything from tourism brochures to business letterheads.