CASE STUDY
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The city of Westminster, SC was looking to shed unfavorable stereotypes, attract new businesses and redevelopment, better engage the community, and show its citizens, visitors, and potential investors that it is an eager partner in the revitalization of their town.
Through intense public engagement (employee luncheon brainstorming session, online surveys, meetings with stakeholders, and public input sessions at events), asset mapping, touchpoint audits, and background research, five distinct and measurable goals were created to assist Westminster in assessing the progress of its branding and marketing efforts. In addition to goals, clear positioning and mission statements were laid out, as well as a Civic Promise and tagline. These tools will help ensure that all messaging originating from the city of Westminster is aligned with their communication goals From assessing how the community engages with Westminster, what their needs and frustrations are, and how the city can best help them meet their goals, five distant audiences were identified. These range from lifelong residents to potential new businesses to utility customers. Authentic stories encouraging engagement and interaction were aligned with each audience, as well as guidelines on tone, voice, and effective communication techniques. Key images and words were identified that honed in on the essence of Westminster and its hopes for the future. New logos for both the city of Westminster and its downtown district were created to better represent the redefined message and identity. Having a distinct brand identity system for downtown will help position it as the heart of Westminster and give a focus to revitalization efforts. Lastly, a five-phase marketing strategy was developed that will guide Westminster in communicating with its stakeholders and encouraging private investment. Each phase contains prioritized initiatives, including placemaking, social media campaigns, business recruitment, and events, each with clearly defined intentions and goals as well as guidelines for completion. |
