Branding, Development, & Marketing Action Plan
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Stockton, California July 2008 Downtown Stockton is the destination of choice when you want to celebrate life, art, food, music, sports, theater, and recreation. What would you like to celebrate this weekend? Branding, Development, & Marketing Action Plan 2 Stockton, California July 2008 Contents The Stockton brand ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary & brand direction ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Summary Charts ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 20 Introduction and scope of work ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats ........................................................................................................................................................................... 31 RECOMMENDATIONS #1. Commit to the brand ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 #2. Create and empower the brand development committee ................................................................................................................................................ 41 #3. Persuade and educate other essential partners to adopt the plans .................................................................................................................................. 43 #4. Start improving consumer perceptions of downtown Stockton through initiatives ........................................................................................................ 46 #5. Use the waterfront redevelopment to add opportunities for visitor experiences downtown ........................................................................................ 52 #6. Develop a comprehensive wayfinding system for the city with a focus on downtown and the miracle mile .............................................................. 54 #7. Redevelop all city and local promotional agency materials with a focus on events and entertainment ....................................................................... 56 #8. Adopt ordinances for the entertainment district ................................................................................................................................................................ 65 #9. Create an events commission to develop and recruit activities in support of the brand ............................................................................................... 67 #10. Hire urban planning expertise to create detailed and comprehensive events and entertainment districts in downtown Stockton .......................... 71 #11. Make public restrooms easy to find, available at night and maintained. ....................................................................................................................... 75 #12. Begin to use the logos for the new brand ....................................................................................................................................................................... 76 #13. Develop and place kiosks around Stockton to drive business downtown. ................................................................................................................... 83 #14. Repurpose the blocks along center street ........................................................................................................................................................................ 84 #15. Hire recruitment expertise for the entertainment district ................................................................................................................................................ 87 #16. Develop free internet wireless zones in the downtown and Miracle Mile. ................................................................................................................... 89 #17. Create and adopt a brand standards & practices guide .................................................................................................................................................. 90 #18. Obtain periodic facilitation services to assist with plan implementation ....................................................................................................................... 91 #19. Update the plan every three years. .................................................................................................................................................................................. 92 Downtown Stockton idea book ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 93 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION “Event idea” meeting attendees ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 113 “Event idea” meeting summary ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 114 Stockton “tapestry” segmentation ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 115 Claritas demographics [immediate market, visitor markets] and maps .................................................................................................................................. 135 Stockton residents survey news ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 138 Interview summary & list of interviewees ............................................................................................................................................................................... 142 Sample case histories (other downtowns) ............................................................................................................................................................................... 149 Sample ordinances .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 161 The Art of Branding a Community........................................................................................................................................................................................... 169 Destination Development contact information ........................................................................................................................................................................ 183 Stockton, California July 2008 3 4 Stockton, California July 2008 The Stockton brand Stockton, California July 2008 5 THE BRAND PROMISE CONCEPT Branding is a perception people have of you, or your prod- uct. When people mention “Stockton,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? What is their perception? What is the feeling they have when they hear the name of the city – both locally, in California, and throughout the west? The branding portion of this Stockton Branding, Development & Marketing Action Plan is built around creating a unique view of Stockton, illustrated on the next page. Everything Stockton does, in terms of downtown develop- ment, marketing, and community development, should rein- force the perception, or brand, you are trying to create in the minds of your residents and visitors. Look at your websites, your marketing materials. Do they re- inforce this statement? Do they say “upscale, urban, modern” – “ a place to celebrate” - some of the core values behind this brand? If not, then redevelop those marketing efforts and showcase the activities, the businesses, the photographs and other elements so that you “deliver on the promise.” The recommendations in this plan have been carefully de- veloped to reinforce this primary brand message and include the product that is necessary to deliver on that message. It’s important to note that a brand must be “earned.” You never “roll-out” a brand. It’s also important that you deliver on the promise. This brand promise is the perception we hope Stockton will earn over the next five to seven years as this plan is implemented. 6 Stockton, California July 2008 STOCKTON’S BRAND PROMISE Stockton, a vibrant and compelling community, is brimming with celebrations of all kinds throughout the year. From the engaging waterfront, where parks are filled with laughter and the weekly farmer’s markets,