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powered by CABOT CONSULTING

Collaborating with the Public Works, Community Services, PR/Marketing, and Architecture teams, the engagement explores, unlocks and defines theneeds and desires of the community with a keen eye on determining space needs for the community center, new building structures for consideration,amenities, and other enhancements for the newly designed La Cienega Park. This cross-functional effort offers the benefit of developing a park inconcert with the community it serves in addition to beginning a two-way dialogue with residents and business owners demonstrating the City’scommitment and desire for their involvement.

Understanding that a park experience offers something different to everyone, curating discussion guides, methodologies, and messaging to attract alltypes of users is imperative for a holistic data capture. The strategic recommendation is to marry bespoke qualitative research methods to bring forwardthe voice(s) of the community and park users coupled with a consumer-focused communications plan inspiring everyone to share their voice and take aninterest. Whether through in person conversation or online survey, large group town hail meetings or intimate focus groups, the proposed plan isstructured to spark conversations big and small in a safe, open, and non-judgmental environment.

Cabot Consulting does not specialize in executing market research. The agency recommends retaining renowned research firm, steer davies gleave(SDG), or Helical Research to facilitate the research strategy outlined on the following pages and will be managed by Cabot Consulting. While thisapproach may not fulfill the RFQ request, Cabot Consulting’s recommendation is to work together to determine the most cost efficient, productive wayto achieve engagement and research goals and then build the research project accordingly with SDG or Helical Research.

The following pages represents a starting point based on the information available today. It should be recognized that certain areas of the projectmethodologies may change because of reasonable insight, cause, or new information that becomes available during the discovery phase. Thesechanges may come at the suggestion of the City or Cabot Consulting and will be discussed together with the engagement project team (CabotConsulting and the City internal teams) to reach a decision.

Research Communications


A communications strategy is the cornerstone of this engagement effort. Cohesive and consistent messaging, tonality, visual creative, access to timelyinformation all set the tone for executing a sincere effort to invite the community - both internal and external stakeholders - to come forward and sharetheir voice. With a campaign identity created and a messaging plan in place, the communications efforts will be able to continue offering updates asthe project comes to life. This approach demonstrates a willingness and desire for the City to engage with constituents 24/7, 365-days a year, not on apiecemeal basis.

The following are recommended pillars for the execution of an integrated plan in concert with the City’s PR/Marketing team. All aspects of thedeliverables defined below will be integrated into research recruitment, tools, communications, and conversations:

• Park Beautification Brand Identity: Develop a distinct visual language and expression that complements the current City of Beverly Hills identityyet signals newness and approachability; assets to include a logo, color palette, possible tag line, and messaging anchors to describe the visionfor the project and the opportunity for the community to have a voice; campaign identity will be used to create all assets needed for theengagement including but not limited to email templates, website, signage and posters, etc.

• Micro-Site: Develop a website that serves as a central hub for the campaign including access to an online survey

• Content Marketing: Develop and implement a strategy to be activated throughout the City of Beverly Hills off- and online throughout fivemonth engagement

• Spreading the Word: Build a tool kit for execution across digital platforms that can be shared with members of the City Council and otherstakeholders who are active on social media channels to broaden and promote the engagement efforts/updates in addition to offline postering inthe neighborhood

• Digital Media Campaign: Execute a geo-targeted digital media campaign to build awareness for participation opportunities in research groups


Through research and kickoff conversations with the City of Beverly Hills internal partners, this initial step is dedicated to understanding the vision,vulnerabilities, opportunities, and goals of bringing forward community conversation and engagement. This area is essential in crafting a refinedresearch plan and REP that will account for the survey tools, discussion guides, and methodology required to nurture appropriate feedback andengagement that will answer defined questions.

• TARGET: Internal project leaders and collaborators• OBJECTIVE: Solidify key objectives for communications and research study among the internal teams• THE PROCESS:

- Review relevant materials explaining all aspects of the project plan- Internal ideation session with highest level staff [10-1 5 people max]; approximately 4-hours- Ethnographic/Semiotic Survey: Team to spend multiple days in the park doing a visual walk-through for purposes of ethnographic observation

around general usage patterns, condition of facilities/grounds, assessment of users, activities. Snap shot visual portrait will be capturedpresenting a real-life portrayal of today. At very end of research, a revised ideal ‘portrait’ based on stakeholder and user feedback through outentirety of project will be presented.

- Comprehensive audit of analogous parks as well as aspirational parks (programming, design, space usage, etc.)• THE DELIVERABLE: A defined course of action to appropriately re-bid the research engagement scope of work aligned with the feedback of the

internal teams; a vision board reflecting La Cienega Park as it stands today

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This phase is dedicated to understanding internal stakeholder needs, desires and goals of the park project and community engagement effortsConversations will be coordinated with team leaders in the Public Works, Community Services, PR/Marketing and Architecture as well as public officialssuch as the Mayor, select City Council members, and executives with the Chamber of Commerce Learnings from these discussions offer a clear1ydefined communications plan of what the research study is wilt achieve and will influence the creation of discussion guides for community forums focus

roups and online surveys

This process will also target people who directly service the Beverly Hills park system and/or host programs at La Cienega Park tQ seek anecdotalinsights, observations, ideas, etc specific to park usage, the Center programs, services parking, special events and security

• TARGET Internal stakeholders of the City of Beverly Hills including park staff -

OBJECTIVE Cultivate an understanding of opportunities and challenges presented by the current Community Center and park• THE PROCESS

Confidential stakeholder Interviews with 10-15 City officials and 10-12 park-related influence, 1-2 hours per conversationof findings, nuances, analysis, etc with internal project team to concretize discussion guide for external research work

Mâifications made, as needed to survey methodologies, discussion guide, and communications planTHE DELIVERABLE Summary of insights that wilt guide go-to-market messaging and discussion guides refinements for externat research

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Research.3: External Stakeholdersf6-$ weeks)—I- .

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The goal of this phase is to engage the residents, business owners, and frequent park users (e.g. staff, preschool parents, regular renters of the rooms,contract instructors, and their class participants, youth sports organizations, etc.) to understand their needs, desires, and concerns about the existingand gain feedback about potential improvements. For the most comprehensive feedback and opportunity to engage with as many constituents aspossible, there are a number of methodologies that will be employed. Depending upon response and feedback, discussion guides and methodologiesmay be refined; below are suggested tactics.

• METHODOLOGY: Monthly Community Meetings f2-3X)• OBJECTIVE: Engage the greater residential and business community to unveil information around the park project and invite feedback and participation• THE PROCESS: Work with the City to either facilitate standalone meetings OR join the docket of standing monthly meetings

• METHODOLOGY: ‘Spotlight’ Park Visits and Conversations• OBJECTIVE: Converse with the most active park users (identified by City stakeholders) who have most directly expressed opinions, concerns, wishes about

programs and facilities to understand their hope for the new park; also host conversations with key segments such as lapsed users and local residents• THE PROCESS: Host small group walkabouts and discussions at La Cienega Park and possibly other local park for comparison to learn about how they

currently engage with the park space and observe their park experience first-hand

• METHODOLOGY: Online Survey Tool• OBJECTIVE: Obtain as much participation from park users as possible.• THE PROCESS: Utilizing the existing City of Beverly Hills database, purchase of geotargeted email list, paid online media, integration of an online community

engagement tool (i.e., Bang the Table or MindMixer), promote and make available an online survey consisting of both closed and open-ended questions

• METHODOLOGY: Park and Street Intercepts• OBJECTIVE: Assess stakeholder experience and perception of the park, concerns, needs and wishes around it; audio and visually recorded are optional• THE PROCESS: Recruit informal 5-10 minute survey intercept interviews with passerby’s in La Cienega park and in locations where residents and business

owners conoreaate to taroet key stakeholders (versus visitors)


The culmination of research findings will be synthesized, analyzed, and presented to the internal project team in a workshop forum. The session willexplore findings, recommendations, vulnerabilities, and also ‘personas’, consumer sketches representing the target audience of future park users.Another component of the show back is revisiting the original vision board (as the park stands today) compared to the accepted vision for the newlyimproved park established by all stakeholders and residents as a result of research. This visual asset will illustrate the impact and changes that are madepossible through the community’s participation.

The final deliverable of this phase will summarize actionable next steps including where implementation needs to start, the process for implementationand internal owner, as well as a follow-up communications plan.

It is highly recommended that a final community forum (or inclusion in a monthly meeting) be organized to present the findings and intended next stepsfor the development project along with expediting a communications campaign highlighting key decisions.

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Gven the broad nature of the project scope, the budget for the research portion is based on a eneral estimate Once appropriate due diligence canbe performed to understand the resources available (people and databases) and prioritize research needs Cabot Consulting will work with SDG and/or

f Helical Research to refine a focused scope of work This scope of work will offer definitive guidelines and expectations of work product aligned with theresources available and determined needs of the City

While this may not be ideal, Cabot Consulting’s recommendation is to work together to determine the most cost efficient productive way to achieveengagement and research goals and then scope the research project accordingly

Every effort will be made to maintain an active, forward momentum for each step of the project Its understandable that conflicting stieduies,unforeseen crcumstances, and other issues can impede the ability to maintain work flow Cabot Consulting will clearly communicate any instances of ade’ay that may impact budget and/or deliverable In addition, Cabot Consulting will offer counsel on cost efficiencies, where possible

The relationshipbetween the City and Cabot Consulting should be a symbiotic one a collaborative and mutually respectful partnership between alls is essential to achieving intended project results on time and on budget -

About: Melissa Cabot

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: encesMelissa Cabot

(1) Jill VasantCarusoHead of Brand and Development MarketingnaEUCQm

(2) Heather Leeds GreenfieldPresidentElement Brand Groupheather@elementhrandgroipcrn

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Thank you!

(917) 415-7644 B 0 F www.cabotconsulting.com

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>ijoambn i - beverly hills, californiaa communications strategy is the cornerstone of this...

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