allen county power point final

8/9/2019 Allen County Power Point Final

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Lima – Allen County, OH

BrandPrintFinal Brand Identity Guide

Presentation



Some Historical Background

• In late 2007 The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) notied the City of the

plans to redo the I-75 corridor from Auglaize

County to Hwy 81 and offered the City and

County could provide input to the design of the

interchanges and potential sound walls. However,

this input for consideration had to be provided in

a quick time frame to ODOT for inclusion intotheir planning.



Next Steps

• Mayor David Berger organized multiple forums whichbrought together local business owners, non-prot Arts

and community leaders and citizens along with City and

County ofcials to discuss past initiatives and efforts. And

where we would go as a community in this opportunity toput our suggested images along the I-75 Corridor that

borders our area. From the mid 1980’s until today, 17

different initiatives and projects have been launched to

enhance and display our community image. While all were

sincere efforts none had proven to have a lasting message

or galvanize our community pride.



Final Step

• The outcome was to focus on selecting an organization tolead this initiative. The Allen County Chamber of

Commerce Foundation stepped forward to be the host.

An RFP was issued with local and non-local companies

responding. After thoughtful due diligence the company-North Star Destination Strategies- was selected as the

vendor of choice to complete the research and deliver us

an outline.

• The following slide highlights some of their more than 100

clients who they have served throughout North America.



Client List



North Star Clients



Advertising/Creative people who ignore research

are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals.

David Ogilvy

Understanding that North Star conducted more

than 21 different pieces of research on behalf of

Lima-Allen County.



Understanding

Insights

Imagination

Consumer

Community

Evaluation

Competition



The results of that research pointed

– like a compass – to a set of

observations or insights

about Lima-Allen County.



Insight

Opportunity + Ability = Capacity

Capacity = Power to Produce and

Perform



Insights

Lima-Allen County has the opportunity and ability –

the capacity – to create and take advantage of a

strong and preferred future.

“Lima has a plethora of capacity: educational, intellectual,

entrepreneurial, innovation, manufacturing, healthcare,

community integration, agriculture, youth, diversity,

and even fun.” – Perception Study



• Remember, a brand is not created; it is discovered

within the spirit of a place.• Brands uncovered in this manner are endorsed

and absorbed by their communities due to their

fundamental truth.

• Your brand is what people say when you are not

around.

• Branding is what you do about it; it is the practice

of managing your reputation



Branding imposes creativity, consistency, truthfulness and

effectiveness into a wide range of activity.

– Development and promotion of tourism

– Inward investment

– Recruitment and trade

– Packaging exports

– State relations

– Social and cultural policy

– Urban and environmental planning

– Economic development

– Membership of national bodies

– Sports

– Media management

– And more.



Branding is…

80% Innovation

15% Organization

5% Communication



• This strategic brand platform should serve as thefoundation for all brand-based communications

and activities that follow.

• The most critical line in this platform is yourpoint of difference. That is the essence of Lima-

Allen County, the dening factor, your competitive

identity.



Lima-Allen County, OH

Brand Platform

For industrious people who embrace Midwesternvalues and a strong work ethic, Lima-Allen County,

at the intersection of interstates, highways, andrailways in northwestern Ohio along the Ottawa River,is a place where capacity energizes diverse thinkers anddoers to fuel advancement, generate momentum, andcultivate strength.



Chosen Concept

Real American Strength



Logo and Strapline



Alternate Logos



Are you familiar with the post-war reconstruction illustration of the

40’s and 50’s? This concept usesclassic, mid-century illustration to underscore

Lima-Allen County’s hard work ethic and timeless

values. It stops the reader by connecting to them viscerally with

energy and enthusiasm.

Strategically it makes the connection between the optimism and

success of post-war America and

Lima-Allen County’s approach to success and values.

Because the iconic style is retro, it is appealing to both boomers andGen X and Y. The power of the illustrations speaks to the area’s

strength where opportunity meets ability.

Real American Strength Concept



Image Ad

T i Ad



Recommended strapline:

Real American

Strength.

The strapline, Real American

Strength , points to theintellectual, creative, physical,

industrial, and human strength

present in

Lima-Allen County. More than

physical strength, the line

communicates the strength of character in the people of Lima-

Allen County.

Tourism Ad



Economic

Development

Ad



I-75 Corridor Applications



I-75 Corridor

Applications



“Possible Bridge Design”

• Another visual

example of

potential bridgeand sound wall

designs

incorporating theLima-Allen County

Brand.



I-75 Corridor

Applications



I-75 Passage Way

• Do we see an

opportunity to

leverage our localand national

trucking companies

as rollingbillboards?



Outdoor Applications



Entryway

Signage



Pole banners



GTV2 Panel



Merchandise



Awards/Gifts



Merchandise



E-Newsletters

Economic



Economic

Development Folder

Chamber f C mmerce



Chamber of Commerce

Membership Folder



Visitor Guide

L tt h d d



Letterhead and

Business Cards



Web Portal

We own the

URL -- Real

AmericanStrength.com

Website



Website



Our Web Site Design In Progress



Web Site Design

COLOR PALETTE



COLOR PALETTE

The color options for Lima-Allen County are grounded in strong

colors with complementary shades of true American character.



As Lima-Allen County rolls out her new brand, North Starencourages you to use words and language in your

presentations and communications that are

representative of this identity.



Descriptive Vocabulary

Hardworking Industrial Grounded

Rooted Self-reliant Humble

Generous Strong Cultural

Agricultural Practical Affordable

Convenient Persevering Active

Agile Determined Enterprising

Nimble Instrumental CooperativePromising Inventive Innovative

Creative Resourceful Educated

Central Groundbreaking Ingenious

Inspired Inuential Remarkable

Established Historic SharpSkilled Qualied Supportive

Advantageous Powerful Able

Caring Tough Independent

Imaginative Capable Well made



Understanding

Insights

Imagination

Consumer

Community

Competition

Visitors

InfrastructureCommunity

Business

Organization



Branding Steering Committee

• The Brand Steering Committee meets

every Friday to discuss planning and

progress for brand implementation.• The community members are; Jed Metzger,

David Berger, Christine Pleva, Sam Bassitt,

Stephen Johnson, Marcel Wagner, Jeff Sprague, Bruce Opperman and John Puente.



Brand Action IdeasYour nal BrandPrint Report includes dozens of ideas. Here is a sampling.

Organization:

• Put together a Market Lima-Allen County Partnership – Develop a “Market Lima – Allen County Partnership” comprised of public, private and non-prot sector

organizations of all sizes interested in marketing Lima – Allen County for future growth and success. Membersshould include all public and private sector entities including the City of Lima, the Lima Chamber, AEDG, theCVB, Delphos, Spencerville, Bluffton, the townships, the Civic Center, the Fairgrounds, hospitals, schools, retail,banking, hotels, attractions, manufacturing, technology, Council for the Arts of Greater Lima (along withrepresentatives from the symphony, theatre and museums), restaurants, etc.

• Appoint a Brand Manager

– The most important contribution Lima – Allen County can make to the ongoing success of your brand isappointing/hiring a brand manager to champion the process. Without a designated employee to handle brandresponsibilities, it is easy for the brand message to fall through the cracks. This individual can be designatedfrom within or brought in from the outside. Brand management duties can be all or part of he or she does (forexample, he or she could also serve as public information ofcer for the city).

• Brand stationery – Reprint the letterhead, cards, envelopes and folders for all public organizations to reect the brand. Make a

production out of presenting employees with the new branded materials. For example, sponsor a RealAmerican Strength lunch featuring the most American foods (hamburgers, corn on the cob, cherry pie) and

pass out Real Strong Stationery. Set a roll-out date after which only the new materials may be used.



Additional Brand Action Ideas

• North Star recommends that the strategies and tactics associated with brandimplementation generally fall into ve distinct categories.

Visitors

Infrastructure

Community

Business

Organization




Infrastructure: • Invest in pole banners

– Pole banners are not an afterthought or a throw-away – they are an important piece of the

overall feel of your downtown area. And they are a relatively inexpensive way to start to

develop a more updated downtown feel. Create a complete brand strategy for pole banners.

This strategy should cover downtown in particular, but should also deal with pole banner

usage in outlying parts of the community.

• Serve it up on 75 – Catch visitors with your message as they are coming and going. Implement the new brand

visually along the redesigned I-75 corridor (beyond bridge renovations).

• Identify opportunities – Successful brand implementation requires the best use of available resources. Lima – Allen

County owns a number of assets ideally suited for high-prole presentation of the brand.

Display the brand on those city-owned physical assets that would be most relevant. Water

towers, downtown corridors, city or county-owned vehicles, sidewalks, light posts and

government buildings are good selections.




Community: • Give the gift of tness

– In conjunction with trainers and dietitians, develop a community-wide tness program called

“Real American Strength” that can be administered through corporations, hospitals and

schools. Partner with relevant members of the Market Lima – Allen County Partnership to

fund the program (hospitals, doctors, health clubs, etc.).

• Celebrate Reel Strength – Help residents embrace the spirit of the brand with a series of community events. Market

events via the portal website, the e-newsletter (Now THAT’S strong!”), the newspaper, etc. A

few ideas:

– A “Reel American Strength” lm festival featuring cinematic heroes who embody strength.

Include icons like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Katharine Hepburn; movies about heroes

like Apollo 13, Norma Rae and North Country and movies about heroic characters likeBatman/Spiderman/Wonder Woman and Harry Potter

– A “Reel American Classic Bass” shing tournament with categories for adults and kids

– A strength in numbers a community-wide event where contestants attempt to break a world

record. Either invite participants to try for the record of their choice or pick a record and

invite residents to come watch or take part.




Community: • Create a civic award

– Either develop a “Real American Strength” civic award or rebrand your existing award to

recognize those regular citizens who go above and beyond. (Could also call it “Force for

Good” award.) Hire a local artist to illustrate each winner (like the iconic post-war posters).

Present each winner with their poster at a special dinner. Display the entire series of posters in

City Hall. Include the names of the recipients along with a description of their deed on yourwebsite.

• Joining forces for good – There truly is strength in numbers. Encourage large groups of residents to join forces for the

good of the community. Focus on initiatives like neighborhood revitalization, Habitat for

Humanity house building, corridor clean up, community gardens, blood drives, etc. To organize

your force for good, partner with churches, the colleges, Rotary Club and organizations likethe Apollo Career Center.

Additi l B d A ti Id




Visitors:

• Pursue relevant conventions and meetings – Use your brand as a hook to pursue certain conventions, meetings, events and competitions

whose missions are in synch with the brand. Convention ideas include body building, yoga,

endurance and strength training, reghting, defense industries, manufacturing, metal working,

etc. Competitions include body building, weight lifting trials, Iron Man or half Iron Man,

marathon, reghting, regional debate tournaments and science fairs.

• Create a strong tour – Evaluate all attractions in Lima – Allen County for their relevance to both the soft and hard

sides of strength. Package attractions together in a two-day “Strength Tour.” Market the

packet on your portal website, on the CVB website and in the Visitor Guide.

• Build your database

– Every encounter with a visitor or a prospective visitor is an opportunity to obtain an emailaddress to expedite future marketing efforts. Collect addresses online (offer giveaways to

increase participation), at special events, at attractions, at hotels and restaurants, etc. Use the

database to send a customized email newsletter (Call it, “Now THAT’S strong!”) about events,

specials, festivals, etc.





Visitors:

• Develop brand merchandise – One of the best ways to introduce your brand is with promotional items such as t-shirts, hats, bottled water,

license plates, etc. Here are a few unique to Lima – Allen County (remember to brand them all with your logo

and line):

– Mugs with handles shaped like half a gear

– Strong, robust coffee

– Christmas ornaments in the shape of interlocking gears.

– Work-out bags with the line, “Get it in Gear” along with the logo and line.

– Clocks or watches with visible working gears

– Belt buckles with the line in the shape of the shield

– Branded java wraps with the logo and l ine on one side. For the other side, sponsor a contest through the

website and coffee shops soliciting resident’s thoughts on what “strong” means to them. Feature the best

responses on the back of the wrap.

– Note pads, place mats, and napkins with room for doodling imprinted with “Strong ideas.”

– Rubber bracelets (like the LiveStrong bracelets) in brand colors imprinted with Lima – Allen County . . . Real

American Strength. Also considering adding the portal URL to the line. Make the bracelet super special by die

cutting the edges to replicate gears.

– Muscle shirts

– Tattoos (real and temporary)

– Weight belts



Business:• There is a direct relationship between the success of your community brand

and the businesses that call Lima – Allen County home. Strategies and tacticsin this section are two-pronged. Some address the need to reach out toeconomic development prospects with branded messages. Others work toinvolve existing businesses in the growth of the brand. Specic tactics address

communications, events, promotions, merchandise, messaging, policy, publicrelations and more.

– Hold a brand roll-out meeting for businesses

– Host a meeting within the business community that introduces the brand and explains theimportance and impact of tourism and brand to Lima – Allen County’s growth. Lunch at a nicerestaurant can increase attendance (charge per attendee).

– Do not roll out the brand publicly until there is visible evidence of it throughout thecommunity. The more businesses can see the brand being put to good use, the more likely theyare to use it themselves.


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