HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.C.(4) Proposal Marketing MIND area(~ < ~~i
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1200 County-Cny Bcllaioa, 227 Vdest Jefferson, South Bend. Indlona 46601-1830 ~ Phone 5741235-9371 • Fox 574/235-9021
To: Redevclopmcnt Commission
From: Don Inks and Tom Price
Subject: Staff Report on Contract for Marketing Consultation and Communication
Scr~ices
Date: 10! I ~/0~
The City of South Bcnd is pc~i~~rming due diligence to ready acres of land in the Sample Street
portion of its Certified Technology Park f~~r ~~raduates of Inno~~ation Park and nanoteclu~ology'high-
tech companies locating in South Bcnd. In concert with acquiring property and getting it prepared fbr
construction of ne~~~ facilities, strategic marketing and connnw~ication ef~fr~rts also arc needed.
Staff seek authorization for entering into a contract ~~~ith the Bluc Waters Group to pro~'ide marketing.;
consultation and communications ser~~ices to position South Bcnd to make the most of the
opportunity offered by the Mid~~~est Institute fur Nanoclecnonics Disco~crv (MIND). The contracted
amount fur the first phase. not to exceed $>>O,000. includes both labor and production costs.
The first phase ofthis initiati~~c in the nextsi.x months ~~~il] include:
• Detining roles. responsibilities, priorities, expectations and a working relationship with Notre
Dame and Project Future.
Der~cloping a communications plan and positionin~~ strate~~y in relation to potential competitors
seeking to recruit similar economic dc~clopment.
G~eating a marketing plan and brandingidcntity campaign for the Sample Street site.
Initiating a national free media campaign to hi~~hli~~ht South 13end~s economic-dc~~clopment
opportunities.
• Strcngthcnin~~ the Cites «eb site and producing collateral materials ibr use in this effort.
Conductin~u pre-tests regarding perceptions oi~Suuth Bend by a ~~aricty of target audiences.
Staff intend at a later date to seek authorization for a second phase in ?U09 and a third phase in ?O10
and beyond. Priorities in those phases include deg eloping a brandin~~ campaign tier South Bcnd based
on its strengths. creating a recruitment campuig^ tur potential tirms and producin~~ media in support
of those effr~rts. Total cost for all tlu cc phases is cstinruai at 51 ?million.
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South Bend native Patrick Strickler founded The [31uc Waters Group Inc. in ?005 to provide
communications shategics and services to research-based businesses, unircrsities and organizations.
The firm includes a team ofscnior writers with deep experience in relating the ~~~ays academic
research and technolo~w arc trausformcd into new businesses that benefit society and strengthen the
economy. Bloc ~N'atas Group already has proposals bet~n-c Project Future and the University of
~utre Dame. ~~hich it anticipates finalizing ~tiithin a month's time. The agency is developing a
project-management system to ensure interaction, coordination and collaboration among the three
partners. Strickler is opening an office in South Bcnd and will be addin~~ staff from the local area to
work as part of the firm's team of specialists.
Mayor Stephen J. Luccl<e has assigned Tom Price. Assistant to the Mayor. to allocate up to half time
to manage the proposed contract on behalf of the Department of Community and Economic
Development and Iead the City's markctin~~iconununication efforts in this initiati~c in collaboration
with other community stakeholders.
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