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Municipal place branding for economic development
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Municipal place branding for economic development
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MUNICIPAL PLACE BRANDING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT by Matthew Barnett A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS (STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS) December 2013 Copyright 2013 Matthew Barnett Page | 2 Abstract Although branding is not a new concept, its full potential is still being explored, especially in the area of place branding. In today’s increasingly connected world where individuals have improved access to a vast amount of information and fewer anchors tying them to one spot, cities, states and even countries are having to compete harder for tourists, economic investment and even residents. This has all culminated in an increased emphasis on municipal place branding. The aim of this thesis is to analyze place branding strategy as it relates to economic development within various municipalities and to determine how the internal audiences of the City of Long Beach, CA perceive the brand of that city. The thesis is divided into four parts: an overview of branding and place branding, a case study of Portland, OR, a case study of Santa Monica, CA and an analysis of original survey data from the City of Long Beach, CA. Based on the information gleaned from the two case studies as well as the analysis of original survey data from Long Beach, CA, it appears that Long Beach faces a number of branding dilemmas which, if unchecked, will continue to hinder the economic development of the city. Page | 3 Table of Contents Abstract..................................................................................................................2 Introduction ............................................................................................................5 What’s in a Brand?.........................................................................................................5 What is Municipal or Place Branding?...................................................................11 Process of Place Branding........................................................................................13 Why is Place Branding Important?..........................................................................17 What is an Economic Develop Strategy?..............................................................20 What Role Does Place Branding Play in Economic Development?..............21 Examples of Place Brands.........................................................................................23 Chapter One: Case Study of Portland, OR..........................................................25 A Brief History of Portland, OR.................................................................................25 Demographic Information...........................................................................................27 Similarities and differences to Long Beach, CA..................................................28 Portland’s 5-Year Strategic Plan..............................................................................30 Progress Update...........................................................................................................41 Chapter Two: Case Study of Santa Monica, CA..................................................43 History of Santa Monica.............................................................................................43 Demographic Information...........................................................................................46 Similarities and Differences to Long Beach, CA.................................................47 Santa Monica’s 2-Year Strategic Plan...................................................................49 Progress Update...........................................................................................................58 Page | 4 Chapter Three: Background Info of Long Beach, CA ..........................................60 About Long Beach, CA...............................................................................................60 Demographic Information...........................................................................................63 Lack of a Coherent Brand Strategy.........................................................................64 Chapter Four: Convenience Survey Analyses (Long Beach, CA) .......................69 Conclusions....................................................................................................................81 Sources......................................................................................................................................85 Page | 5 Introduction What’s in a Brand? A brand is much more than a logo, picture, or phrase. The American Marketing Association defines the term brand as "a customer experience represented by a collection of images and ideas; often referring to a symbol such as a name, logo, slogan, and design scheme.” The organization goes further to explain that “brand recognition and other reactions are created by the accumulation of experiences with the specific product or service, both directly relating to its use, and through the influence of advertising, design, and media commentary." Brands represent any feature that identifies an object or service as unique and distinct from its competitors. The term itself derives from the practice of physically branding cattle with iron rods as a means to distinguish them from one another. The process of branding, however, is as old as civilization itself (Daye). In fact, as market economies developed during the establishment of city-states in ancient Greece, potters began identifying themselves as the makers of ceramic goods, thus creating a name brand for themselves. The first article to appear on the subject of branding in the Journal of Marketing was H.D. Wolfe’s 1942 article entitled “Techniques of Appraising Brand Preference and Brand Consciousness by Consumer Interviewing.” Since that publication, the understanding and generally accepted practices of branding have continued to develop and grow. Today, branding is a very well established practice for many businesses and Page | 6 other entities seeking to build loyalty among their customers. Some of the most recognizable brands today include Apple, Coca-Cola, Google, and IBM. By building their strategy using a holistic value-driven approach these valuable brands have fundamentally altered the culture of their companies internally, but have communicated that culture to their external audiences. This has helped create the fierce brand loyalty they enjoy today (“Global 100”). Building brand loyalty or brand awareness is at the apex of any brand strategy. The ability and salience of a brand to not only reach customers, but to affect them in a positive manner, is the main goal of any branding strategy. In theory this sort of psycho-sociological approach to communicating with customers should lead to increased positive interest in the branded product. For corporations and retailers, this process (when done correctly) means an increase in sales. For this reason, most organizations employ someone who actively manages that brand. Her/his job is to take a holistic approach to implementing the brand throughout the entire organization and every point of customer contact. While all branding strategies generally share the goal mentioned above, their approaches are quite varied. In fact, at the essence of a good brand is a differentiation or uniqueness. Common approaches to branding include the use of logos, pictures, phrases, symbols, names, color schemes, jingles, melodies, personalities and many other identifiers, which distinguish the product or company from competitors. Since a brand is not just a visual representation of an organization but a perceived experience by the current or potential customer, every point of customer contact can influence what’s known as the “brand Page | 7 identity.” Uniform communication (using the aforementioned tools) and other various organizational practices such as customer service and human resources all contribute to the brand identity. Another important component of brand identity, which is essential to the overall success of a brand, is brand trust. This is a measure of how authentic an organization’s branding strategy is relative to the actual product or service. If a brand distinguishes the company as having superior customer service and customers have negative interactions, they experience a sense of brand betrayal and lose trust in that company’s brand identity. One example of a company that experienced a sharp decline of brand trust is Netflix when, in the summer of 2011 company officials announced a restructuring of their video subscription service, which would have doubled the price of the service for many of its customers. The loss of brand loyalty came at a high cost; Netflix stock lost half of its value within a month (“Netflix Failures and Lessons From Betrayal of Brand Loyalty”). Despite a reversal of the decision to change their service, a severe distrust in the Netflix brand remained and the company the company lost more than 800,000 customers (Edwards). As of August of 2013, its stock has yet to fully recover from its peak in 2011. Naming and marketing often are mistaken with branding; however, there are distinct differences. Naming can be a tool used in developing a brand and may even further the salience of a brand if it eliminates any ambiguity associated with the product. In other words, if a name can clearly resonate with a customer’s sub-conscience to further the branding strategy’s goals, it may become what’s Page | 8 considered a name brand. A good method for identifying a name brand is to assess the extent to which simply seeing or hearing the name invokes the full brand experience the company or entity desires. An example might be Christian Louboutin, which for many people conjures images of high-fashion women’s shoes with red soles. Even in this instance, however, the name is still just a tool used to help the brand. There are numerous other elements that help distinguish the Louboutin brand. Designer Louboutin himself has been quoted as saying that “a good shoe is one that doesn’t dress you, but undresses you!” His brand promise is that his shoes will empower you with the confidence to “flirt with your feet” (Frenier). Marketing is not necessarily a tool used to develop a brand, but is instead one of the processes to disseminate a brand to desired audiences. Marketing materials usually incorporate brand elements such as logo and key messages or conform to established branding standards. This conformity in communications is usually the easiest identifier of a brand. All of Apple’s marketing materials, for example, conform to a very specific style, which speaks to their brand identity of creating devices and software that are sleek, clean and simple in design and functionality. Additionally, marketing research may be used in the development or evolution of a brand identity. There are many tips or guidelines to consider when developing and managing a brand. In 2002, marketing experts Al Ries and Laura Ries released a compilation of some excellent branding tips in their book, “The 22 Immutable Page | 9 Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service into a World-Class Brand.” Some of their rules included the following: • The Law of Expansion: a brand is inversely proportional to its scope and that trying to be all things to everyone dilutes the power of the brand. • The laws of Publicity and Advertising: a brand is born from publicity (public relations) and maintained through marketing/advertising. • The Laws of Shape and Colors: design elements of a brand should be configured to maximize the brand’s effectiveness. For “shape,” the authors suggest recognizing that customers will view the brand with two eyes and therefore should therefore have a horizontal shape. For “color,” the authors suggest recognizing what the three primary colors and secondary colors denote and sticking to one of them, as opposed to mixing and matching. • The Law of Singularity: owning a single idea or concept in the mind of a customer is essentially the most important aspect of branding. Many brands covet the notion of becoming the generic term for an action. Examples include “Xeroxing” a paper as synonymous with photocopying; grabbing a Kleenex, despite the actual name of the Page | 10 tissue brand; FedExing a package regardless of the speedy shipper used; and placing a Band-Aid on a cut, even though you might actually be using a Curad adhesive strip. Page | 11 What is Municipal or Place Branding? Most “top 100 brands” lists only consider corporate or product brands. Absent from these lists are place brands or municipal brands. As cities and places have increasingly become competitive with one another to attract tourists and businesses, so, too, has the need to distinguish themselves. Place branding is a process used by neighborhoods, cities, counties, states, nations, and in Europe’s case, an entire continent. Usually driven by the same economically motivated factors as companies, these places seek to resonate positively in a customer’s mind. In the context of place brands, customers may be residents, tourists or businesses, depending on the goals of the place brand. Specific examples include the Mexican Riviera, the Las Vegas Strip and the Pacific Northwest. Because cities are so complex and campaigns are aimed at reaching diverse audiences, place branding usually uses a holistic approach. This means that at every point of contact by the targeted customers, the city attempts to imprint its brand identity. There are definite similarities and differences between place and product branding. In both cases the process distinguishes the object or product from its competitors to not only stand out, but to eventually become a preference. In both cases the matter of perceptions is key. In branding, whether it’s for good or bad, perception is reality. Logos and slogans alone don’t create perceptions. In fact, some of the most recognizable and profitable brands barely (if at all) use logos and/or slogans (i.e. Walmart and Microsoft.) Therefore, neither place nor product Page | 12 branding should rely solely on logos and/or slogans as their primary branding strategy. Instead, in both instances, brands are experiential in nature; that is, they are most heavily influenced by the experiences of the customer. If a traveler gets mugged in a locale touting a “world’s safest city” slogan or a driver has mechanical issues with a car that’s branded as “the most dependable,” the experience of the customer will influence her/his perception of that brand far more than mere slogans or taglines (Allan). Perhaps the most significant difference between place and product branding stems from the complexity of the process to complete the brand. According to the article “10 Things You Need to Know About Branding,” by Roger Brooks International, “it takes a village to build a brand.” While this is true for product branding, businesses and corporations have a well-defined power structure that allows for fairly seamless implementation. In place branding, it literally takes a village to willfully embrace a brand for that strategy and position to prosper. The mayor or city council alone will not suffice nor can they simply force every citizen to embrace their local place brand. Despite the challenges, this thesis posits that place/city branding is possible and that there are, in fact, many strategies that can be consistently and reliably employed. Page | 13 Process of Place Branding Different professionals, firms and academics have different opinions or approaches to the process of place branding; however, there some commonalities. In the article “Brand Your City: A recipe for success” by Jonathan Baltuch, there are seven steps outlined to implement a place brand. They are: 1. Internal Research- This includes conducting surveys and analysis within the city itself, among residents, to determine and identify the city’s core values and strengths. 2. External Research- Conducted at the same time as the internal research, the external research is aimed at discovering the perceptions of those outside the city, such as tourists, commuters or perspective business owners. 3. Logo & Brand Promise Design- This step entails analyzing the data collected from the internal and external perceptions and finding a way to bridge perception and reality. In this step, a city’s logo and brand promise or slogan is developed. 4. Comprehensive Brand Identity Package Design and Implementation- This is the process by which the materials developed in step three are distributed and used. Baltuch suggests that within a 30-day period, Page | 14 everything in the city should be outfitted with this new branding material. 5. Internal Education- Ensuring that the entire city is aware of the new brand is key to its acceptance and continued reinforcement. This step should essentially ensure that city employees and residents are turned into brand ambassadors. 6. External Education- This step of the process is essentially dedicated to conducting public relations. A coordinated public relations campaign utilizing earned media opportunities helps imprint the new brand to the outside world. 7. Advertising- Last but not least, advertising is a proven way to assist in reaching highly targeted audiences. For the most part, this is a fairly simple and straightforward approach, although Baltuch places considerable emphasis on the use of a logo and slogan or brand promise. A stronger approach to step four would be to ensure that not only the logo and slogan are implemented everywhere, but that what that logo and slogan represent is communicated, as well, to ensure that the promise of the brand is fully implemented. Imagine if the slogan “the happiest place on earth” Page | 15 were plastered everywhere at Disneyland, but the atmosphere, architecture, food, attitudes and overall experiences at Disneyland were anything but. Another important process consideration when implementing a place brand is the nature of who “owns” the brand. While not expressly defined in Baltuch’s piece, this concept is expounded upon in the article “Putting Communities At the Center of Branding” by Don McEachern. He says that local government has a role in initiating and managing a brand, but that the role of government isn’t to “own the brand.” Instead, that duty should fall on an inclusive third party group consisting of big and small players from the public and private sector as well as local government officials. Doing this may increase the number of entities that accept the new brand because it has been championed by the public and the business community and not just by the local government. Additionally, because of the turnover in elected officials who often have different and competing branding concepts, it might be best to avoid having politicians “own” a brand. “A team approach,” argues McEachern, “furthers the buy-in and adoption of the resulting work. It keeps in mind the big picture for the community, and it weathers changes in administrations.” Last but not least, when considering a place brand, those charged with communications need to decide whether to adopt an organic brand or a strategic brand. Organic brands emerge out of characteristics that already naturally exist within the city. Small towns might develop a brand that accentuates their “small town feel” because that is what already exists naturally and fits with their vision. The city of Jerusalem, for example, is branded as the “Holy City” because of its Page | 16 historic and ancient roots in religion. In contrast, a strategic brand might be a better option for a city wishing to alter its naturally occurring perception. If a city has a high crime rate, it might decide to engage in a branding campaign to reverse that perception or confront it head on. In this instance, communicators may strategically alter the perception of their city and by seeking to neutralize an undesirable organic characteristic. The “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” brand of Las Vegas is strategic because it appeals to a certain audience and the city as a whole has embarked upon a mission to make sure that brand promise is upheld. Page | 17 Why is Place Branding Important? The growth of information, transportation and communication technology in combination with a progressively globalizing world over the past 60 years has substantially increased the competition among cities for residents, tourists and businesses (Rondinelli, Johnson, and Kasarda). Businesses now have an ability to start and operate anywhere in the world depending on preferences. More and more cities are losing key industries that might have thrived in a particular location for decades because of foreign manufacturing opportunities or financial incentives to move elsewhere. Whereas cities may have been known for one particular industry in the past, these instances are becoming increasingly rare. Washington, DC, for example, has committed to diversifying its economy to grow its technology, hospitality and retail sectors in an attempt to be more than “government” (The Five-Year Economic Development Strategy for the District of Columbia). As this happens the individual employees who might have moved into those cities no longer have those incentives. For example, if a city were known for aerospace engineering but the plants subsequently closed and moved abroad, the engineers who might have moved to that city no longer have an incentive to remain there. Since cities and municipalities are dependent on taxes from residents and businesses, the migration of companies can cause considerable financial distress. Because cities are being forced to become more economically diverse, residents have more choices on where to settle down and where to live. What Page | 18 attracts a resident? What causes someone to decide to live in a particular city? A number of attributes may make a city desirable, live-able and affect the quality of life of its residents. Some of these attributes may include: -Employment opportunities -Cost of living -Weather preferences (though these may vary widely among audiences) -Safety (crime rates) -Transportation -Attractions (both natural and manufactured) -Quality of schools Even though cities may possess passing grades for all of these attributes, competition remains stiff nonetheless. The consulting firm Metti & Bronner estimates that there are 2.7 million small cities, 3,000 large cities and 455 metropolises in the worldwide city marketplace. With this many competitors, standing out becomes difficult. By contrast, product brands often have only a few (if not only one) competitors. Imagine walking down the soda aisle in a store and seeing 2.7 million, 3,000 or even 455 choices of cola from which to choose. This illustrates how significant a role place branding can play. By distinguishing itself from other competitors, a given city can gain a strategic advantage in the race to retain or attract customers – both employers and residents. Page | 19 The global economic crisis of 2008 has made place branding more important than ever. Many cities saw huge brand challenges as unemployment numbers rose, businesses closed and government budgets destabilized, but it is in times of recession that place branding is most important (Leaders Magazine). Cuts in education and public services melted away years of positive perceptions. While some cities have embraced branding as a proactive measure, others have been forced to consider branding strategies to manage their corroding images. Page | 20 What is an Economic Development Strategy? With the emergence of the global economic crisis of 2008, economic development became entrenched at the forefront of many discussions on municipal and/or government management. Many cities and localities began engaging in plans to alter or shift key aspects and operations within their jurisdiction with the end goal being to retain and/or attract new business. Because cities are largely dependent on tax revenues from businesses and need their citizens to be employed to spend money within their cities, a healthy business climate is essential to a city’s wellbeing. The research, preparation and implementation of these plans comprise an economic development strategy. Often these strategies are derived from dedicated research that has identified the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing a given city. From there, strategic initiatives are created and implemented to exploit existing strengths, take advantage of opportunities, mitigate weaknesses and eliminate threats, with the goal of ultimately bringing more resources into the city. Essentially, an economic development strategy is similar to a communications plan, in that involves both public relations and marketing elements, but it also may include a series of institutional or policy recommendations. Page | 21 What Role Does Place Branding Play in Economic Development? Place branding is a very helpful tool that can, and should, be included in any serious economic development strategy. By ensuring that a city is strategically branded to appeal to both internal and external audiences, an economic development strategy’s messages are more likely to resonate with the intended audience(s). Furthermore, when done correctly, a city brand will leave a positive imprint on intended audiences. Whether a strategy calls for more funding of startup businesses, attracting a new large manufacturer or convincing an existing business not to relocate, the active management of a positive place brand may be an important factor in the organization’s final decision. In some cases, cities are forced to combat a naturally existing negative brand perception, such as whether a particular city is considered unsafe. In these instances, cities may monitor or have documented evidence of how it is suffering economically from its negative reputation. While branding alone will not entirely address all of the negative aspects of a city, it can assist in making sure a city is not being unfairly hampered by a negative perception. An example of this may be when a city is perceived as “unsafe,” but actually has a moderately low crime rate. Ergo the city brander must always remember that perceptions aren’t always based on reality. If, however, the city does have a high crime rate, additional corrective actions outside of rebranding will be essential. Enacting such program or policy changes Page | 22 can be important steps in correcting the root problem, and no branding program can offset a well-deserved negative reputation. Page | 23 Examples of Place Brands Examples of place brands are not difficult to find. Some of the most well- known cities maintain a consistently positive brand image. “I Amsterdam” - Amsterdam’s successful rebranding project is widely cited among branding strategists and academics. Due to Europe’s changing environment, fueled in part by advances in technology and the increase in the number of competing cities both within and outside of Europe to attract industry, Amsterdam began slipping in various tourism rankings during the late 1980’s. During the 1990’s, Amsterdam’s image as a party city, especially for stag and hen (European bachelor and bachelorette) parties, was well known. At the time, however, it seemed that the city lacked the political will to combat this image. In September 2004, after extensive research and coordination by a diversified brand development group known as Amsterdam Partners, the “I Amsterdam” brand was born and has since inspired numerous other cities to reconsider their own images (“I Amsterdam - The Campaign to Re-Brand Amsterdam”). “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.” - Las Vegas has been a popular tourist destination since the 1950’s and is one of many cities that has actively engaged in modern destination or place branding. Beginning in 2000, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau launched an economic development and rebranding effort to attract more tourists, diversify the economy and alter the Page | 24 image of the city. In 2006, the “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” slogan became phenomenally successful (Grillot). A steady rise in the number of visitors to the city was documented from just over 35 million in 2002 to over 39 million in 2007 (Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Athority). It should be noted that although the numbers sharply declined in 2008, the tourism industry on the whole was greatly affected by the global economic recession that year, so the decline should not be considered a failure of the city’s branding strategy. “I Love NY” - New York City began a branding effort in 1977 to attract visitors, retain residents and business as a result of an economic recession and heavy residential emigration. Aided by improvements in crime rates as well as a steady adherence to the “I Love NY” brand, the population soared in the 1990’s and today that brand lives on, is highly recognizable and is imitated by many cities. Using New York City’s distinction as one of the world’s most famous cities, the “I Love New York” logo has been embraced by residents and tourists alike who enjoy the attractions, culture and entertainment the city provides (Winfield- Pfefferkorn). The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, along with the SARS scare in 2003-04 both had negative effects on tourism rates; however in both of those instances, tourism continued to grow the very next year (NYCgo.com). Page | 25 Chapter One Case Study: Portland, OR A Brief History of Portland, OR While the city of Portland, Oregon, may have earned its name by the toss of a coin, its expansion and popularity in the 19 th and 20 th centuries is undoubtedly a result of its abundant natural resources and prime location. Nestled at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, Portland’s temperate weather and beautiful landscape enticed many would-be settlers when Lewis and Clark returned from their expedition to the Pacific Northwest and reported their findings (Toll). The city continued to grow in population immediately following its incorporation in 1851 with 800 inhabitants, to 90,000 in 1899. Much of this growth was attributed to its access to both the Pacific Ocean and the agricultural based Tualatin Valley, giving its port a tremendous advantage for trading in the Northwest (Toll). The 1905 World’s Fair was hosted in Portland and attracted more than 3 million visitors to what had by then become a booming Northwest metropolis. As part of the World’s Fair, the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition also attracted many visitors and soon-to-be residents. To keep up with transportation demands, the city invested in a bustling streetcar system with more than 150 streetcars running per hour. Portland’s naturally mild and wet climate were ideal for rose Page | 26 gardening, and the first month-long Rose Carnival and Festival was held in the late spring of 1907, becoming a regional celebration that continues annually today (D, Jean). These highly successful events, in combination with responsible city management, led to a doubling of the city’s population by 1910. Portland would see another population boom in the mid-20 th century. By an act of Congress, the Bonneville Power Administration, established in 1937, spent more than $2 billion in the construction of dams along the Columbia River to generate electricity. Additionally, an increased need for military vessels, led to the 1941 construction of shipyards along the Willamette River, which, in turn, attracted 150,000 workers to build ships (Toll). In the late 20 th century and early 21 st century, Portland had seen remarkable increases in young people migrating to the city to take advantage of growing technology and green tech job opportunities. Seeking not only successful careers, this Millennial generation also sought greater balance between work and life, which they found in Portland’s environs. Page | 27 Demographic Information As of the 2010 Census, Portland’s population was estimated at 593,820. Of that population, some significant data points from the 2010 U.S. nation-wide census included: Age/Gender 6% were under 5 years old 19.1% were under 18 years old 10.4% were over 65 years old 50.5% of the population was female Race/Ethnicity/Sexual Orientation 76.1% were white 6.3% were black 1.0% were American Indian and Alaska Native 7.1% were Asian 4.7% were persons of two or more race 9.4% were of Hispanic or Latino origin 8.8% (estimated) LGBT population Education 89.5% of persons over 25+ were high school graduates 41.1% of persons 25+ had a bachelor’s degree Income Median household income: $48,831 Persons below poverty level: 16.3% Other Total number of firms: 65,465 Land area: 133.43 square miles Persons per square mile: 4,375.2 Unemployment Rate: 7.3% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Oct. 2012) Page | 28 Similarities and differences to Long Beach, CA Portland shares a number of similarities to the City of Long Beach in California. Both are prominent West Coast cities containing ports, and they each are juxtaposed to other, more prominent metropolises nearby (Seattle, which is two hours away from Portland and Los Angeles which is less than an hour away from Long Beach). Both cities share what would be considered to be temperate weather and sport populations of more than 250,000, with high percentage of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) individuals. In fact, according to the UCLA Williams Institute, Portland and Long Beach rank as the sixth and seventh American cities in terms of number of LGBT residents (Gates). Politically, both cities also tend to be more liberal and support Democratic candidates and policies. There also are some major differences between Long Beach and Portland. Portland has a significantly more educated population, with more than 40% of residents holding a bachelor’s degree in comparison with Long Beach’s 28%. Portland is also significantly larger in land area, with 83.14 more square miles of land than Long Beach and a much lower density of persons per square mile (4,375.2 in Portland vs. 9,191.3 in Long Beach). From an economic development perspective, Portland far outranks Long Beach in the number of registered firms doing business within the city limits, beating Long Beach by 27,855 firms. Portland (as well as the State of Oregon as a whole) is very dependent on trade as a base for its economy, which is a very similar situation in Long Beach. With that being said, Portland also has a large Page | 29 technology sector which first began to develop in the 1990’s and has persevered after the dot com boom. Additionally, unemployment has been an alarming issue within both cities since the 2008 recession. In 2012, Portland saw an unemployment rate of 7.3% whereas the unemployment rate in Long Beach was 11.4%, compared to the national average of 8.1%. From a transportation perspective, both cities utilize multiple means, including access to a local airport, seaport, freeways, light rail, busses and cars. Both are also considered to be very bicycle-friendly and walkable. In fact, as discussed later, Portland is ranked as the second most bicycle-friendly and the 12 th most walkable city in the United States, whereas Long Beach ranked as the 23 rd most bicycle friendly and the 11 th most walkable. Page | 30 Portland’s 5-Year Strategic Plan The following is a description and analysis of the Portland Economic Development Strategy (PDC) as it relates to the city’s place brand and overall image. For analytical reasons, key elements of the city’s strategic plan has been reformatted to mirror the USC Annenberg Public Relations Strategic Planning Model. Goal: The primary and main goal of the Portland Economic Development Strategy is to “build the most sustainable economy in the world” (PDC pg. 4). Timeline: The Portland Economic Development Strategy is based on a five-year timeline and was adopted in 2009. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats: 1. Strengths: • Large and growing concentration in Clean Tech industries. • Deep manufacturing capacity to design and supply parts and components. • Shared values & decades of leadership regarding environmental impact. • Public policy environment that fuels innovation and experimentation Page | 31 • A diffuse economy consisting of small businesses and anchored by a strong manufacturing base. 2. Weaknesses: • Structure of Portland’s economy causes it to be more vulnerable to declines in consumer spending, business investment and international trade that the nation as a whole. (PDC pg. 1) • Lags in job creation, when compared regionally. • Current funding mechanisms for economic development are inflexible, vary from year to year and are often misaligned with goals. 3. Opportunities: • A long-term commitment to investing in the quality of life elements of the city has resulted in an “unprecedented influx of creative talent.” This influx of talent, however, needs to be matched by investments in retaining and growing firms, training workers, funding innovation and developing catalytic projects to turn this talent into economic dividends for the city. (PDC pg. 2) • A strategic location on the Pacific Rim with access to key Asian markets, a thriving port, and access to inland trade routes. Page | 32 4. Threats: • Competing cities invest more in resources in Economic Development. • Competing cities have higher median family incomes. • Weak job growth in the city may lead to increased demand for infrastructure spending and increase transportation costs for Portland residents, which may in turn undermine regional efforts in land use and climate action. (PDC pg. 2) Primary Objective: The primary objective of the Portland Economic Development Strategy is to “grow employment in the city by 10,000 jobs in five years.” (PDC pg. 6) Communication Goal: Although the Portland Economic Development Strategy is geared toward program and policy implementation and mentions a branding strategy merely as a tool to accomplish these program and policy objectives, the communication goal is apparent and consistent throughout the entire strategy document. The communication goal of the campaign strategy is to promote Portland’s organically produced brand as the “greenest city in America and a leader in sustainability” throughout the world. (PDC pg. 24) Page | 33 Strategies: To meet the communication goal, objective and ultimate goal of the campaign, the Portland Economic Development Strategy calls for a focus on the following three strategies: 1. Generate robust job growth by maximizing the opportunities to produce and sell products and services for existing, emerging and relocating business. 2. Maintain a leadership position in sustainability by constantly striving to produce an innovative urban setting that fosters creativity and invention. 3. Achieve broad-based prosperity by equalizing opportunity and stimulating business activity in neighborhoods throughout the city. Audiences: While not largely emphasized in the Portland Economic Development Strategy, there are several target audiences: 1. The Creative Class and Educated Citizens The strategy refers several times to the “Creative Class,” which is a term expounded upon by economist and social scientist Richard Florida who is a professor and head of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Page | 34 Management at the University of Toronto. His theories and writings, including his widely popular book, Rise of the Creative Class, describe a growing trend in the demographic movement and preferences of a new generation that is known for its departure from traditional workplace cultures. He believes that the so-called Creative Class currently makes up about 40% of the U.S. workforce. As Portland is already considered to have one of the highest concentrations of the Creative Class in the country, the strategy calls for continued communication with those currently in the city, and the continued attraction of these people to the city. Furthermore, a highly educated citizenship is likely to attract businesses and, in turn, produce higher median household incomes. These two aspects represent two of the threats outlined in the SWOT analysis. 2. Mobile Workers These are individuals starting a career or business. By reaching out to this audience, the city is hoping to remain competitive in the race for talent and jobs. Small business owners drive economic development and are essential for creating jobs. In fact, the Corporation for Enterprise Development, a national nonprofit 501(c)3, states that “without [small] business startups, there would be no net job growth in the U.S. economy” (Cfed.org). Page | 35 3. International Markets This audience is essential to most large port cities like Portland. As identified in the SWOT analysis, one of the opportunities Portland has is its location and access to growing Asian markets. 4. Green and Tech Businesses At the center of the branding and economic development strategy is the goal of growing the number of jobs within the city. This includes the retention of jobs currently in Portland and the attraction of new jobs from elsewhere. This audience is being targeted to take advantage of their potential economic contributions in conjunction with the city’s strategic communication goal. Messaging: There are several key message points that, while not directly stated in the Portland Economic Strategy document, are emphasized by program points and explanations. The following is a list of some of the main points gleaned from the document. 1. “Companies can cut costs by closing supply chain gaps by using readily available locally manufactured components from clean technology and green building industries.” (PDC pg. 14) • This message is aimed at the green and tech business audience as well as mobile workers who may wish to begin a new business in Page | 36 Portland or cut costs for an existing one. As a program/policy alteration, the strategy document calls for investment in existing businesses to help meet the goal of closing supply chain gaps by providing more access to locally manufactured components. 2. “Portland has readily available occupational training specific for regional needs.” (PDC pg. 20) • This message is geared toward mobile workers who may be seeking a first job or a career transition. This program will assist in attracting and educating a steady supply of workers necessary to fill business needs. This also has the added benefit of assisting those who may have trouble finding jobs to find stable employment. 3. “Portland will assist your entrepreneurial endeavors through a new economic gardening program.” (PDC pg. 26) • This message is geared towards the green and clean tech businesses that are specifically looking to start a business in the city. The justification explained for this messaging and program is that new and successful businesses have a higher impact and output than the recruitment of an existing business. Page | 37 4. “Because of Portland’s commitment to sustainability and green technology, it is cheaper to facilitate trade and conduct business.” (PDC pg. 16) • This message is aimed at international businesses and trade markets. It is intended to assuage the feeling that Portland’s green plan may be a hindrance to trade and business opportunity. This message confronts and reverses that perception. 5. “Portland will work to enhance the research and development of local higher education institutions to facilitate a symbiotic relationship which benefits the city as well as the institutions themselves.” (PDC pg. 17) • This message point is geared toward the Creative Class and educated audiences who want to take advantage of and assist in these highly effective and successful relationships. 6. “Portland is a leader in urban planning and has created a very unique and ‘cool’ place to live and work.” (PDC pg. 22) • This message is geared toward the Creative Class, educated, and mobile worker audiences. It captures what is sometimes referred to as the mythos of Portland’s image as a “cool” and/or “hip” city. This atmosphere and image is highly attractive to the Creative Class. Page | 38 7. “Portland is a leader of sustainability throughout the world.” (PDC pg. 24) This message is geared toward every audience as it is in direct correlation to the prime communication goal. Tactics: The Portland Economic Development Strategy document is tactical in its approach to program suggestions and policy implementation. That same level of detail, however, is seemingly absent with regard to communication tactics. While there are, several tactics described, there is little detail as to how the overall strategy will play out in a communication and public relations context. 1. Portland should implement an international trade and investment strategy that incorporates an intensive schedule of international visits with coordinated promotion of both the region and firms located in Portland. (PDC pg. 15) • This tactic facilitates direct person-to-person (or rather business-to- business) communication, which will allow opportunities to express the identified message points and leverage the region’s strengths, and promote foreign trade and investment opportunities. 2. Coordinate promotion of Portland’s sustainable economy through an expansion of the city’s aggressive international trade show plan, targeted Page | 39 marketing campaign and strategic business development trips. (PDC pg. 16) • These activities should focus on key businesses and countries that already maintain positive relationships with Portland, including SolarWorld, AREVA, Inc., Saint Gobain, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, France, Japan, China and Korea. Additionally the direct air service (flights) to Asia and Europe will be maintained. 3. The City Portland should advocate for Portland State University to accept sustainability as one of its defining missions . (PDC pg. 18) • This tactic maintains the continuity between the University and the city’s branding goals. 4. Convene a public-private working group to develop comprehensive branding objectives and strategy. (PDC pg. 24) • This tactics falls in line with best practices in place branding to ensure that “ownership” of the place brand is properly maintained and balanced. 5. Utilize key city, regional and state intermediaries to carry Portland’s organic brand in and out of state. Also, use Portland based businesses to utilize branding terminology in sales efforts. (PDC pg. 24) Page | 40 • This tactic calls for the use of newspaper articles, television stories, marketing and word of mouth campaigns to continue developing Portland’s organically produced brand throughout the region, country and world. Ensuring that businesses are involved in the branding effort ensures continuity. It also calls for utilizing existing marketing and public relations firms already located within the city. Additional tactics could include: 6. Performing a number of outreach and educational efforts to promote the economic gardening program. (PDC pg. 26) 7. Creating a single, easy-to-understand point of entry for the Portland Small Business Web Portal to enhance delivery of information and services relevant to Portland’s small businesses. (PDC pg. 27-28) Page | 41 Progress Update In July 2012, the Executive Director of the Portland Economic Development Commission, in connection with the Mayor of Portland, produced a three-year status report on the progress of the five-year plan. The following are some of the points emphasized in the Three Year Status Report. Portland had: • Retained approximately 1,500 jobs • Created more than 2,750 new jobs • Created the Neighborhood Economic Development Strategy, which implements area-specific plans in east and north/northwest Portland to enhance business successes and promote local prosperity • Created educational partnerships with Portland State University and other educational institutions to attract private investment and develop the region’s workforce • Decreased unemployment from 9.7% to 7.5% • Issued more than 667 permits to film TV and commercial projects, resulting in more than $130 million being spent locally • Attained the following designations: o No. 1 ranking amongst America’s top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities (Bicycling Magazine) o No. 1 ranking amongst Greenest Cities (Corporate Knights Magazine) Page | 42 o No.1 ranking for Portland General Electric’s Green Power Program (U.S. Department of Energy) o No. 1 ranking for Portland State University’s business school for the MBA program’s dedication to social and environmental stewardship (Beyond Grey Pinstripes) o No. 2 ranking as Best Car-Free City (24/7 Wall Street) o No. 2 ranking for Greenest Metro (Site Selection Magazine) o No. 4 ranking on the Future Metropolis Index (Zipcar) o No 8 ranking for cities with green development opportunities (Cushman & Wakefield) Page | 43 Chapter Two Case Study: Santa Monica, CA History of Santa Monica The City of Santa Monica has a colorful history, which has been reflective of Southern Californian history as a whole. Originally inhabited by the Tongva people, Europeans first encountered the area in 1542 when Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo anchored in the Santa Monica Bay. In 1769 Father Juan Crespi, a Franciscan in Gaspar de Portola’s expedition party, named the area after Saint Monica due to the discovery of a natural spring, which exists to this day at the corner of Ohio and Barrington Ave (Santa Monica History). With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo in 1848, the United States government gained sovereignty over California and by the 1850’s, Santa Monica became a lively place for wealthy Easterners to visit, resulting in various commercial opportunities for the area. In 1874, Nevada Senator John Percival Jones purchased Rancho Santa Monica for $162,000 and began plotting the city’s physical design. Within months, the city reached a population of 1,000 and within a decade was incorporated. Leading up to the construction of the first Santa Monica Pier in 1909, several grand luxury hotels were built in the city and the first entertainment area consisting of a boardwalk, racetrack and golf course was constructed. Between Page | 44 1900 and 1925, amusement piers became wildly popular destinations for tourists and travelers. In 1921, Donald Douglas Sr. founded the Douglas Aircraft Company and opened a plant at Clover Field (now the site of the Santa Monica Airport) that would provide a major source of employment for the city for 46 years. Also, during this time, Santa Monica grew in popularity among Hollywood’s elite and its overall population grew to 37,000. The Great Depression severely hurt Santa Monica as travel budgets and excess spending by blue-collar families decreased. One notable triumph during this time was the creation of Muscle Beach on the south side of the Santa Monica Pier. This free fitness equipment was provided by the federal Works Progress Administration and began a health craze within the city that attracted gymnasts, weightlifters, and acrobats from all around the U.S. During World War II, the Douglas Company began hiring more workers and eventually employed up to 44,000 people. In 1948, The RAND Corporation spun off from the Douglas Company and became a world-renowned think tank headquartered in the city. The 1960’s and ‘70s saw several economic problems for Santa Monica. Although the Santa Monica Freeway was finished in 1966 and should have provided more access and income to the city, the closing of the Douglas plant in 1968, the foreclosure of the Santa Monica Pier in 1967, and the failed development of the Santa Monica Mall in 1965 tarnished the city’s economic prospects. Culturally, during this time period, residents of Santa Monica became increasingly progressive in their political views. The group Santa Monica for Renters’ Rights was formed in 1978 and has since remained a dominant and Page | 45 vocal political force in the city, advocating for and implementing powerful rent control policies. In the last 30 years, Santa Monica has seen a resurgence of economic prosperity. The Santa Monica Pier was renovated after to its partial destruction at the hands of the El Niňo storm of 1983 and the failed Santa Monica Mall was redeveloped into the Santa Monica Promenade (now known as the 3 rd Street Promenade), which has been very successful since its completion in 1989. Completed office developments drew the attention of high profile corporations such as MGM, Sony, Symantec, Yahoo! and Google. Today, Santa Monica is a thriving city and world-class tourist destination. True to its history, it remains a prominent home for Hollywood A-listers, corporate headquarters and branch offices, progressive activists, beach goers, and health- conscious citizens. Page | 46 Demographic Information As of the 2010 Census, Santa Monica’s population was estimated at 90,377. Of that population, here are some significant data points from the 2010 U.S. nation-wide census: Age/Gender 4.1% were under 5 years old 14% were under 18 years old 15% were over 65 years old 51.8% of the population is female Race/Ethnicity/Sexual Orientation 77.6% were white 3.9% were black 0.4% were American Indian and Alaska Native 9% were Asian 4.4% were persons of two or more race 13.1% were of Hispanic or Latino origin % (estimated) LGBT population Education 95.1% of persons over 25+ were high school graduates 64% of persons 25+ had a bachelors degree Income Median household income: $71,400 Persons below poverty level: 10.7% Other Total number of firms: 23,259 Land area: 8.42 square miles Persons per square mile: 10,663.8 Unemployment Rate: 8.1% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Nov. 2012) Page | 47 Similarities and Differences to Long Beach, CA Like Portland, the City of Santa Monica shares several similarities with the City of Long Beach. Not only are these two cities located only a few miles apart from one another, they are in the same county, share the same weather and often compete with each other for the same residents, tourists, workers and businesses. Both cities also compete heavily with the City of Los Angeles, which can overshadow both due to its size and notoriety. Also, both cities are considered to be fairly liberal in their political leanings, with Santa Monica considered a bit more progressive. The two cities actually have a number of differences, as well. To begin with, the population and land area of the two cities are very different. At 8.46 square miles, Santa Monica is a much smaller city compared to either Portland or Long Beach. Its population is also quite different in its racial, ethnic, educational and socio-economic makeup. Santa Monica has a much higher percentage of individuals with high school diplomas and bachelor degrees, plus a less racially and ethnically diverse population than the other two. The city also has a higher average median income than either Portland or Long Beach. Interestingly, some of the greatest contrasts between the cities exist today as a result of fierce competition in the past. Long Beach was once a highly desirable beach city tourist destination. In fact, out of all of the beach communities up and down the Southern California coast, Long Beach and Santa Monica were probably the two biggest competitors, especially when it came to amenities like the amusement piers that were popular at the turn of the 19 th Page | 48 century. In 1897, the US Congress decided to build a port in the San Pedro Bay instead of the Santa Monica Bay. This became the Port of Los Angeles and subsequently influenced the construction of the adjacent Port of Long Beach. Because of the port and the construction of the breakwater, Long Beach traded its pristine coastline for economic development in the form of trade. This decision heavily influenced the image and history of both the cities. Another, more recent, trade off made was made when Douglas (now Boeing) closed its doors in Santa Monica but kept its factories open in Long Beach. Since then, Santa Monica redeveloped the vacant land into a popular and successful business park, whereas Long Beach’s plant remains open today. For much of the 20 th century, Santa Monica struggled to outperform Long Beach as a travel destination; however, several factors helped it to regain prominence, including its highly successful branding and economic development campaigns. Page | 49 Santa Monica’s 2-Year Strategic Plan The following is a description and analysis of the branding campaign undertaken by the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau. Much of the following information was gleaned from the Santa Monica Destination Brand Blueprint and Update. For analytical reasons, the strategy has been reformatted to mirror the Annenberg Strategic Planning Model. Goal: The primary goal of the Santa Monica branding campaign is to “increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment through promotion of the area as a travel destination.” This goal is the driving focus of the Santa Monica Visitors and Convention Bureau. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats: 1. Strengths • Weather • Transportation • Friendly and healthy people • High end shopping • Visitor services • Geographic location • Scenic beaches and parks • Feeling of “cleanliness and safety” Page | 50 • Attractions/sightseeing • The general experience/atmosphere 2. Weaknesses: • High prices and cost of living • Homeless people and panhandling • Heavy traffic congestion • Lack of activities for tourists to do • Cleanliness/safety • Grumpy or entrenched locals • Lack of grocery stores • The weather • Needs more restaurants • Lack of public transportation 3. Opportunities: • Lack of perception of how close Santa Monica is to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) (15-20 minutes by car) • Opportunities to work with other key cities nearby such as Marina Del Rey and Beverly Hills • Willingness by travelers to pay higher prices if their experiences match those prices • Perception as a progressive city Page | 51 • Significant “latent” positive destination brand equity that offers positive potential 4. Threats: • Heavy competition from nearby cities • Lack of enthusiasm by residents to brand the city as a destination • A view that the city council is making incorrect choices • Lack of brand strategy • “Carnival” atmosphere of the Pier area (Varghese, Anita) Research: The Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau conducted more than 100 meetings and 12 focus groups over a two-year time span. Representatives conducted interviews with key stakeholders including city staff, business leaders, political leaders and residents on their perceptions of the city. The focus groups consisted of tourists from Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and London, because that is where the majority of the city’s tourists originate. The data gathered from these meetings were evaluated by branding consultants and analysts such as Duane Knapp, Gary Sherwin and Bruce Baltin. After the data were collected, a review of Santa Monica’s competitive set was conducted to determine the city’s strengths and weaknesses when compared locally and regionally (Varghese, Anita). Page | 52 Primary Objective: The primary objective of this two-year strategic campaign was to “develop a tangible program of action that would take the (city’s) Brand Promise and bring it to ‘life.’” http://www.santamonica.com/includes/media/docs/Blueprint-Summit-07.pdf Communication Goal: The end-point this campaign wants to communicate to its audiences is that Santa Monica is “the premier beach-city destination in the world.” Strategies: To meet the communication goal, objective and ultimate campaign goal, the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau calls for a focus on the following three strategies: 1. Focus branding efforts to promote to the travel and tourism industries, specifically to create and foster a unique “Santa Monica experience.” 2. Use intermediaries and influencers to expose the brand, specifically those within the hospitality industry. 3. Improve the “beach experience” since the beach and pier were considered top strengths for the city. Page | 53 Audiences: Santa Monica’s branding strategy calls a broad interpretation of audience. Typically, intermediaries are not considered an audience. Just as the press isn’t usually considered an audience but rather a channel through which to disseminate messages, the emphasis that intermediaries have in Santa Monica’s branding strategy seems to require that they be included as an audience. 1. Hotel workers, customer service representatives, civic leaders and business leaders • All of these audiences are heavily targeted in the strategy to brand Santa Monica. When trying to create a unique, memorable and worthwhile “experience” for the city, these are the individuals who have the direct contact with the target audience. They are therefore considered to be a key audience in this campaign and not simply a means through which to communicate the message, because they aren’t being asked to convey a specific message to the target, but to deliver an experience. For example, a traditional intermediary or messaging tool such as the press, would take “message X” and convey it to “audience A.” In this branding campaign, however, the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau is conveying “message X” to these internal audiences, hoping that they will then act a certain way to provide an experience to “audience A,” as opposed to echoing the message itself. Page | 54 2. Travelers and Tourists • As this branding campaign is heavily focused on destination branding, a form of place branding, the largest audience is those who would travel to the destination or who are considering traveling to the destination. The strategy, tactics, messaging, objectives and end goal are all centered on this audience. From an economic development perspective, this audience is relevant is because of the impact its members play in the Santa Monica economy. It’s projected that total visitor spending averages about $1.115 billion a year directly in Santa Monica. Messaging: In contrast to the Portland case study, where messaging wasn’t directly addressed in a specific section but was present throughout the strategy, the Santa Monica case study provides a very direct messaging statement, which is defined in its strategic documents as the “brand promise.” These specific messaging statements included: 1. “Santa Monica… the best way to discover L.A.; an unforgettable beach city experience filled with eye-catching people, cutting-edge culture and bold innovations. It’s the essence of the California lifestyle.” (pg. 5) Page | 55 • This was the primary branding message derived from the research and intended to meet the overall goals of the campaign. Its subtle complexity is intended to capture the attention of travelers and tourists who want to visit Southern California, and persuade them to visit Santa Monica while they do. 2. “Unforgettable Beach City” • Making improvements to the beach is imperative to improving the overall experience. According to the research the city conducted, the beach is often the first thing that people think of when they hear “Santa Monica.” 3. “Eye Catching People,” “Unforgettable” and “Experience” • These words highlight the critical impact hospitality workers may make in delivering the city’s brand promise. They can literally bring these words to life to visitors. Tactics: The Santa Monica branding strategy offers several tactical methods to implement and achieve its campaign goals and objectives. 1. Beach Summit - The plan calls for the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau to initiate meetings with city staff and business leaders, Page | 56 which will eventually culminate in the first “Beach Summit.” This is an event where community stakeholders are brought together to discuss beach amenities, safety perceptions and environmental stewardship. • This tactic enables a collaborative setting to identify brand perception issues within the city and navigate a path to confront and reverse those perceptions if they are negative, or to enhance them if they are already positive. 2. Guest Contact Service Training – The plan recommends creating an affordable training program for all Santa Monica guest contact employees. This program is intended stress the new brand promise, develop cultural awareness and further the understanding of the ethnic and cultural groups visiting the city. • This tactic coincides with the strategy to work with internal audiences within the city to develop the “experience” that the brand is hoping to sell. Timeline: 2004-2005: • Collaborate with consultants to develop the framework and process for branding Santa Monica. • Conduct research into current brand perceptions by visitors and non-visitors. Page | 57 • Develop an articulated brand promise for the city. • Communicate findings to civic and business leaders. 2005-2007: • Conduct Brand Summit on March 24, 2006 to engage city staff and other stakeholders. • Conduct first annual Beach Summit on September 14, 2006. • Initiate process to begin the Guest Contact Service Training Program. 2007-2008: • Launch Guest Contact Service Program in Fall of 2007. • Hold Second Annual Beach Summit in Fall of 2007. • Establish brand style guide by Fall of 2007. Page | 58 Progress Update The Santa Monica branding initiative has been very successful in a number of ways. As of 2012, Santa Monica has: • Increased the number of visitors per year by 6.4% since 2009 • Had a 17.5% increase in the number of jobs supported by tourism • Passed Measure V in November 2006 to prevent further environmental degradation of the Santa Monica Bay • Instituted a “trash valet” program in busy areas of the beach during peak summer hours • Expanded the marketing of beach amenities on the city’s website • Worked with Perry’s Beach Cafes and concession stands to upgrade their facilities and establish a new Perry’s brand • Developed a Beach Map • Improved the pathway and freeway signage communicating how to get to the beach • Completed construction on the “Annenberg Community Beach Club” at Santa Monica State Beach • Constructed several new beach bathroom facilities • Improved public access through construction of accessible beach sidewalks Page | 59 • Established a bus drop off on Main Street for tour buses, which allows more visitors to access the beach • Developed the Guest Contact Service Training program o Created a short- and a long-version course o Established an “educational committee” of more than 40 community members o Decided on curriculum for courses o Identified best practices o Created a job bank to support a more informed and trained hospitality work force o Named the program “I Know Santa Monica” o Provided recognition to those who completed the program Page | 60 Chapter Three Background Info: Long Beach, CA About Long Beach, CA The Portland and Santa Monica case studies highlight different but well- conceived approaches to place branding. For the most part, both campaigns have seen moderate success even in the face of a serious economic downturn and have elevated the positive image of the respective cities. Whereas Portland developed an Economic Development Strategy that was wholly inclusive of its organic brand, Santa Monica created a branding campaign to strategically reposition its brand image by capitalizing on its famous beach to further its economic development strategy. Each city took different routes yet achieved similar end goals. Long Beach, California though, is still struggling to create a successful and positive brand image for itself. While very similar to both Santa Monica and Portland in a number of ways already discussed, the City of Long Beach has thus far been unable to capitalize on a successful place brand to increase its economic development prospects. The early history of Long Beach shares many similarities to Santa Monica; however, several factors influenced dramatic changes in the city’s character starting in the early 20 th century. For many years, Long Beach was considered to be the premier beachside destination in Southern California due to its south- facing beach and the popularity of The Pike, an amusement pier similar to Santa Page | 61 Monica’s current pier. With the discovery of rich oil fields in Signal Hill and throughout Long Beach (including offshore), the construction of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the creation of the Long Beach Breakwater all prior to 1950, Long Beach began to lose its prominence as a preferred tourism destination. Furthermore, the deconstruction of the Pike in 1979, increases in crime rates and gang violence, and failure to compete with up-and-coming business districts in nearby Orange County, all began to reshape Long Beach’s image in negative ways. In spite of these challenges, Long Beach has remained committed to attracting tourists. The city became the home to the Toyota Grand Prix road race in 1975 and the annual event has continued to prosper as the city’s single largest event attraction. Furthermore, Long Beach has been viewed as one of the most diverse cities in the country (LongBeach.gov) and in particular is well known for its large LGBT population. Other than the Grand Prix, the next largest attraction is the city’s annual Long Beach Pride Parade, which is the second largest in the nation. The retirement of the famous RMS Queen Mary in 1967 led to the historic ship being permanently harbored in Long Beach and eventually converted to a popular tourist attraction and hotel. From 1983–93, Howard Hughes’ famous Spruce Goose was also located downtown near the Queen Mary. In 1998, the Aquarium of the Pacific opened in Rainbow Harbor and has since been ranked one of the largest tourist attractions in Southern California (Aquariumofpacific.org/about). Unfortunately, despite its popularity, the original Pike was never rebuilt; a retail-oriented complex that was built in 2003 and Page | 62 named The Pike has been a mere shadow of the original, and the redevelopment has largely been viewed as a failure. With its colorful history and popular tourist attractions, Long Beach has a number of outstanding strengths and opportunities. However, a poorly formed and/or negative place brand can hinder its future opportunity for growth and success. Compared to both Portland and Santa Monica, it also has considerable differences in its overall demographic, as seen in the following data.. Page | 63 Demographic Information As of the 2010 Census, Long Beach’s population was estimated at 465,575. Of that population, some significant data points from the 2010 U.S. nation-wide census include: Age/Gender 7% are under 5 years old 24.9% are under 18 years old 9.3% are over 65 years old 51.0% of the population is female Race/Ethnicity/Sexual Orientation 46.1% are white 13.5% are black 0.7% are American Indian and Alaska Native 12.9% are Asian 5.3% are persons of two or more race 40.8% are of Hispanic or Latino origin ?% (estimated) LGBT population Education 79% of persons over 25+ are high school graduates 28.7% of persons 25+ have a bachelor’s degree Income Median household income: $52,945 Persons below poverty level: 19.4% Other Total number of firms: 37,610 Land area: 50.29 square miles Persons per square mile: 9,191.3 Unemployment Rate:11.4% ( U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - 0ct. 2012) Page | 64 Lack of a Coherent Brand Strategy In January 2001, Long Beach adopted the 2010 Strategic Plan. As part of this plan, a goal and vision for the city were outlined. In its goal statement the plan said: “Long Beach has shed its skin numerous times. It has been a resort town, an oil town, a Navy town, and an aerospace town. The time has come for Long Beach to fully embrace a destiny that has long awaited it: to be a great American city.” Interestingly, the vision outlined in the strategy included the following description: “A community of neighborhoods, focused on youth and education, with safety and economic opportunity for all, and a responsive accountable government, in a healthy, green environment.” The 2010 Economic Development Implementation Plan seems to indicate that the city had traditionally benefitted from organic brand images, which had driven its development. As discussed earlier, the increase in globalization and competition has generated a stronger need for cities to be much more strategic in their brand management. Unfortunately, the City of Long Beach’s goal statement is flawed in two ways. Firstly, and unavoidably, the 2008 recession would completely reshape the economic landscape and largely alter any strategic goal. Secondly, the goal statement seems to allude to the acceptance of an organic brand for the city without any active brand strategy or management. The Page | 65 statement “(to) fully embrace a destiny that has long awaited it” implies that if the initiatives in the strategy were implemented, then the goal of being viewed as a “great American city” would automatically be realized and achieved. Unfortunately, even if the stated vision statement were fully implemented, the goal would still not likely be reached without active brand management. The goal and vision also fall short in failing to define distinctive strengths for Long Beach; there are plenty of other cities that also have neighborhoods, and focus on youth and education, safety and economic activity. To rebrand Long Beach effectively, something distinctive would need to set its place brand apart from others. This dilemma is at the crux of Long Beach’s image issues. It essentially has had no real brand strategy. Not only does the 2010 Economic Development Implementation Plan provide a weak, generalized, and unimaginative goal and vision for the city, it also fails to provide a comprehensive brand image for the city to set itself apart and further its economic interests. While it does suggest several program implementation steps to achieve its vision, it does not outline how those changes might alter the city’s image or address how messages would be communicated to targeted audiences (which it also fails to delineate). One thing the Economic Development Implementation plan does do well is identify some of the brand image dilemmas that Long Beach faces, as well as the strengths of the city, including: Page | 66 Long Beach is both a regional employment center and a bedroom community, where 2/3 of working residents leave the Long Beach for their employment It has characteristics of both an urban city and a ring city Whereas many larger cities were losing residents, it has seen significant population gains over the past 25 years It is increasingly becoming both a rich and poor with neighborhoods varying dramatically in household income city It has remarkable educational facilities but a very low high school graduation rate and diminishing population of bachelor’s degree holders With a population of about half a million people, Long Beach is larger than the cities of Atlanta, Cleveland, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh, but it is not viewed as a large American city Long Beach has very little corporate business presence The city is home several growing industries, but also an increasing numbers of youth without high school diplomas or jobs The plan identified several strengths, including the following assets that were considered unique about Long Beach: A Southern California coastal city with 330 days of sunshine An annual median temperature of 72 o F One of the nation’s busiest ports Page | 67 A nationally recognized convention center, sports arena and performing arts center One of the nation’s premier aquariums The largest campus in the California State University system An award-winning k-12 school district and community college A thriving health care industry cluster A vibrant downtown A history of technology innovation Unique museums and cultural institutions Miles and miles of sandy beaches It becomes quite clear once all of these points are listed, that Long Beach is faced with both great challenges and great opportunities for brand repositioning. The point of this thesis was not to create a branding strategy for the city, but instead to recognize and analyze the potential opportunities for place brand repositioning Long Beach. Both the Portland and Santa Monica case studies have provided excellent, yet different, approaches to place branding with regard to economic development. If Long Beach were interested in pursuing a rebranding initiative, one of the logical first steps would be to survey internal audiences, such as residents who live and/or work in the city. Between December 2012 and February 2013, the author of this thesis conducted a convenience sampling online survey that Page | 68 polled residents, workers and students within the city, regarding their perceptions of Long Beach. Following is a breakdown of key results from that research. Page | 69 Chapter Four Convenience Survey Analyses: Long Beach, CA Survey Demographics During the December 2012 – February 2013 timeframe, a total of 335 individuals voluntarily took the survey, which had an overall completion rate of 71%. A total of 223 respondents said they currently live in Long Beach. Of those 223 residents, 39% said they also worked in Long Beach and 34% said they went to school in Long Beach. Thirty-one respondents said they worked in Long Beach but did not live there, and 21 respondents said they attended school in Long Beach but did not live there. Although the target audience for this research was individuals who were residents of Long Beach, the data from these two groups were included as noted in the overall findings, data calculations and subsequent interpretations. As shown in Fig. 1, about one-half of all respondents were between the ages of 25-54, while an additional one-third were younger adults between the ages of 18- 24. Page | 70 Figure 1: Age distribution of survey respondents. Respondents’ number of years living in Long Beach: As shown in Fig. 2, about one-third of individuals who reported living in Long Beach had been residents of the city for a decade or more. Figure 2: Respondents’ Years Residing in Long Beach Long Beach zip codes: This survey was administered according to voluntary convenience sampling, with no attempts to recruit nor stratify according to proportions of the actual city Page | 71 population. Nonetheless, as seen in Fig. 3, survey respondents who identified themselves as residents of Long Beach represented 12 of the zip codes found within the city limits. Fig. 4 shows a map of the city and its zip codes, with the red line representing the borders of the city of Long Beach. Zip Code: Survey Participation 90755 2% 90802 5% 90803 8% 90804 15% 90805 7% 90806 2% 90807 6% 90808 21% 90813 3% 90814 8% 90815 21% 90840 1% Figure 3: Survey Respondents’ Participation by Zip Code Figure 4: Zip Code Map of the City of Long Beach. (City-data.com) Page | 72 Key Survey Findings Results from all seven questions included in the survey were chosen for final analysis, and are detailed in the following section. These questions were chosen by the author because they most directly dealt with the perceptions of those individuals who identified themselves as living, working, and/or attending school in Long Beach. Figure 5: Responses to the survey question, Which of the following describe Long Beach? Interpreting Results: Areas shown in Fig. 5 with more red represent feelings by respondents that the corresponding trait was not considered representative of Long Beach. Response options were: Has great weather; Is culturally diverse; Has great Page | 73 tourist attractions; Is bicycle friendly; Has great schools and universities; Is environmentally friendly; Is business friendly As shown in Fig. 5, more green represents respondents’ perceptions that the corresponding statement did represent Long Beach. Overall, respondents believed that Long Beach was definitely culturally diverse and had great weather. They also felt that Long Beach was also very bicycle friendly, had great schools, and was a good place to raise a family. Many respondents reported that the phrases “has a lot of job opportunities,” “is environmentally friendly,” and “has great tourist attractions” were less accurate in describing Long Beach. Figure 6: Responses of a 1-7 scale ranking to the question, What is Long Beach known for? Interpreting Results: This question asked respondents to rank what Long Beach was most known for, based on a 1-7 scale. This question measured the relative strength of Page | 74 the respondents’ perceptions not simply perceptions of the characteristics themselves. As shown in Fig. 6, the darker green represents higher ranking indicating a stronger correlation to respondents’ perceptions of their image of Long Beach. The darker the red, the lower the corresponding trait, thus the weaker that trait was perceived as representing Long Beach . According to the responses to this question, Long Beach was most strongly known for being culturally diverse, with more than 85% of respondents ranking it among the top two slots. “Being business friendly” and “having a lot of job opportunities” both ranked poorly, with more than 64% and 80% of respondents placing those traits in the bottom three slots, respectively. Figure 7: Responses to the question, Which of these negative attributes describe the City of Long Beach? Interpreting the results: This question asked respondents to identify their perceptions of possible negative attributes associated with Long Beach, including the degree to which they considered Long Beach to have a high crime rate; was not business- Page | 75 friendly; had high rates of drug use and trafficking; had high pollution rates; possessed a crumbling infrastructure (buildings, streets, utilities etc.); had bad traffic, and was a bad place to raise a family. As shown in Fig. 7, the stronger the association of the negative trait to Long Beach, the more red is visible associated with that particular attribute. According to the results, respondents most associated bad traffic, pollution and crime with the City of Long Beach . An interesting observation was the overwhelming spike in respondents who disagreed with the statement, “Long Beach is a bad place to raise a family.” Also fairly important, though less pronounced, was the number of respondents indicating disagreement with the statement, “Long Beach is not business friendly.” Figure 8: Responses to the question, How satisfied are you living in Long Beach? Page | 76 Interpreting the results: In this question, respondents were able to adjust an emoticon which illustrated five possible emotions: 1. Very unhappy 2. Unhappy 3. Neutral 4. Happy 5. Very Happy This question determined how happy or satisfied residents of the city were with living in Long Beach. The responses to this question yielded the strongest and most consistent results. Overwhelmingly, residents of Long Beach indicated they were either happy or very happy living in the city. Very few said they were neutral and even fewer said they were unhappy. Figure 9: Responses to the question, What grade would you give the business climate in Long Beach? Page | 77 Interpreting the results: This question sought to find out how respondents felt or perceived the business climate in Long Beach. The question used a 13-point “A-F” grading scale, similar to how schools grade papers, to maximize the understanding on the respondent’s part. The answers to the question gave another fairly clear and conclusive result. With an average (mean) score of 8.77, which equates to a “C,” it’s clear that the respondents were not very positive about the business climate in Long Beach. Figure 10: Responses to the question, From a business or corporate point of view, how would you rate the following economic resources as they apply to Long Beach? Interpreting the results: This question sought to establish respondents’ perceptions of the economic strengths are in Long Beach, whether or not those were true in reality. Response options included: • Highly educated and employable workforce • Access to transportation (port, rail, airport etc.) • Ease of starting a business Page | 78 • Support from local government • Access to financing options • Geographic location • Business tax incentives As shown in Fig. 10, the red indicated perceived weaknesses; the green indicated perceiveda strength, and gray indicated neutrality. According to the responses, there were two clear strengths. Long Beach’s access to transportation (port, rail, airport etc.) and geographic location were seen as “good” or “very good” economic strengths. The characteristic of having a “highly educated and employable workforce” also receiving notable positive responses. Respondents perceived no clear weaknesses, although “ease of starting a business” and “support from local government” were identified the most frequently as being “bad” or “very bad.” Page | 79 Figure 11: Responses to the question, What do you perceive to be the most financially successful business sectors in Long Beach? Interpreting the results: This question sought to assess two things: 1) what the respondents perceived to be the most successful business sectors in Long Beach and 2) their Long Beach business acumen. Response options were: • Aerospace • Manufacturing • Professional services (accounting, banking, law firms etc.) • Trade • Technology • Travel and tourism • Healthcare • Insurance • Hospitality As seen in Fig. 11, the green shades represent items ranked as the first, second and third highest, whereas the shades of red represent those items ranked as the seventh, eighth and ninth lowest. The gray shades represent the middle (fourth, fifth and sixth). Essentially, the more green associated with an industry sector, the more respondents considered it to be among the most profitable; the more red, the more respondents thought it was the lowest in profitability. Page | 80 The variability in the responses indicates a strong amount of uncertainty among respondents. This demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the prominent business sectors within Long Beach. There were, however, a few stronger responses in the mix. Aerospace and trade both received strong top third rankings, followed closely by professional services. On the lower ends were insurance, hospitality and manufacturing. Page | 81 Conclusions As a whole, the results from the internal audience survey reveal a few important things to bear in mind when drafting any sort of branding strategy for Long Beach. Whereas individuals who live, work or attend school think that Long Beach is known for its great weather, cultural diversity and being bicycle friendly, they also indicated its crime rates, traffic and levels of pollution were negative marks against the city. From this work, it appeared that internal audiences seemed to have a fairly negative perspective of how the city’s business sectors were performing from an economic perspective. Citing the access to transportation and its geographic location as economic strengths of the city, respondents believed that the ease of starting a new business and the assistance provided by local government were chief among the city’s weaknesses in economic development. Furthermore, the broad and largely inconclusive range of data regarding the business sector awareness question demonstrates respondents had a poor understanding of the city’s major economic drivers. This presents a fundamental dilemma because Long Beach city will not likely be able to successfully market itself to prospective business sectors if its own internal audiences are unaware or unsure of what is happening within their own city. Despite the negative perspectives of Long Beach’s business climate and the other negative traits found from this research, it is also notable that residents of Long Beach reported being overwhelmingly happy about living in the city. This attribute, in and of itself, is a strength that many destinations lack. Whereas many Page | 82 suburban areas are suffering from major population declines, Long Beach seems poised to continue at, or increase, its population if the current level of resident satisfaction continues, and this might eventually be leveraged into a positive branding message to help differentiate the area from competitors. Page | 83 Next Steps This research represents just the first recommended step in helping Long Beach contemplate a place branding strategy, and the city is cautioned against basing a branding strategy entirely off of these results, as this was a nonrepresentative, convenience sample survey undertaken specifically for this thesis work. To merely build upon the current instrument and approach would be premature and could yield poor, nongeneralizable results. If, however, the city were to pursue this exploration further, the logical next step would be to repeat the key questions analyzed in this initial research, and conduct broader outreach that targeted Long Beach business owners and other external audiences including residents in neighboring (and in some cases competing) cities, as well as current and prospective tourists and outside businesses in a more representative sample. Upon the completion of this external audience analysis, a complete overview and reconciliation of the two surveys would yield more useful data. Following the reconciliation of the surveys, conducting focus groups to hone in and more clearly identify perceptions and attitudes about Long Beach would be helpful. Finally, after the research were concluded, a more comprehensive place branding strategy could begin to be formed. So what, if any, branding implications can be drawn from the data collected in the current survey? Whereas some may view the strengths identified by the internal audiences and attempt to create an organic place brand that stressed the good weather and ideal geographic location as key messages, this platform has proven ineffective in this past. While the good weather and Page | 84 geographic location are positives for Long Beach, as discussed earlier, a brand needs to differentiate itself from others. In this instance, Long Beach competes with other regional cities and locations in Los Angeles and Orange County. Because these competing interests also benefit from good weather and, in some cases, an equally ideal location, there is little to differentiate the city based on these organic traits alone. Therefore, it is likely that Long Beach would need to undertake more strategic brand development, as opposed to allowing an organic process. Lessons learned from the Portland and Santa Monica case studies serve as examples of branding approaches that Long Beach can utilize. A more inclusive approach towards economic development, including utilizing a strong and strategically defined place brand, would be a superb concept to explore. Furthermore, the focus on internal audiences and highly organized tactical implementation that Santa Monica utilized would also be a strong model to follow. While Long Beach faces its own set of challenges and opportunities, the need for a solidified and committed place brand has never been greater. Page | 85 Sources Allan, Malcolm. “Place Branding.” The Journal of the Medinge Group. Volume 1, Number 1 August, 2007. Web. January 10, 2013. <http://medinge.org/place-branding/> Baltuch, Jonathan. “Brand Your City: A Recipe for Success.” Brand Papers. N.D. Web. December 10, 2012. <http://www.brandchannel.com/papers_review.asp?sp_id=352> Brooks, Roger. “10 Things You Need to Know About Branding.” Roger Brooks International. June 2, 2011. Web. November 18, 2012. <http://www.rogerbrooksinternational.com/2011/06/02/10-things-you-need- to-know-about-branding/> D, Jean. “Growing Roses in Portland.” Ask.com. March 17, 2011. Web. December 19, 2012. <http://www.ask.com/explore/growing-roses- portland> Daye, Derrick. “History of Branding.” Branding Strategy Insider. August 14, 2006. Web. December 18 2012. <http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2006/08/history_of_bran.html#.U gBaeY3VB8F> Edwards, Cliff. “Netflix Declines Most Since 2004 After Losing 800,000 U.S. Subscribers.” Bloomberg. October 25, 2011. Web. January 20, 2013. <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-24/netflix-3q-subscriber- losses-worse-than-forecast.html> Florida, Richard. “The Rise of the Creative Class.” Print. Basic Books. April 30, 2002. ISBN 0465024769. Frenier, Kurt. “The Louboutin Brand Experience: ‘Flirting with your Feet.’” TheRedHotMarketingBlender.com. November 2, 2012. Web. December 10, 2012. <http://www.redhotmarketingblender.com/2012/11/the-louboutin- brand-experience-flirting-with-your-feet/> Gates, Gary PhD. “Same-sex Couples and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Population: New Estimates from the American Community Survey.” The UCLA Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy. October, 2006. Web. December 10, 2012. <http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Gates-Same- Sex-Couples-GLB-Pop-ACS-Oct-2006.pdf> Grillot, Kateri. “What Happened in Vegas?: The Use of Destination Branding to Influence Place Attachments.” Newman University, Elliott School of Page | 86 Communication. 2002. Web. January 19, 2013. <http://soar.wichita.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10057/1135/t07018.pdf?se quence=1> Mceachern, Don. “Putting Communities at the Center of Branding.” Public Management (PM) Magazine. June, 2006. Web. December 10, 2012. <http://webapps.icma.org/pm/8805/public/cover.cfm?author=don%20mcea chern&title=putting%20communities%20at%20the%20center%20of%20br anding> Ries, Al and Laura. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. Print. HaperBusiness. 1 st Edition. September, 2002. ISBN 0060007737. Rondinelli, Dennis, Johnson, James and Kasarda, John. “The Changing Forces of Urban Economic Development: Globalization and City Competitiveness in the 21 st Century.” Cityscape. November 3, 1998. Web. May 15, 2013. <http://www.huduser.org/periodicals/cityscpe/vol3num3/article4.pdf> Toll, William. “Home Front Boom.” Oregon History Project. 2003. Web. January 10, 2012. <http://www.ohs.org/the-oregon-history-project/narratives/a- history-of-portland/the-federal-connection/home-front-boom.cfm> Varghese, Anita. “Santa Monica: Convention & Visitors Bureau Wants City to be Branded as Top Destination.” The Argonaut. March 30, 2013. Web. January 10, 2013. <http://www.santamonica.com/includes/docs/Argonaut.pdf> Winfield-Pfefferkorn. “The Branding of Cities: Exploring City Branding and the Importance of Brand Image.” Masters Thesis. Graduate School of Syracuse University. August, 2005. Web. December 10, 2012. <http://www.brandchannel.com/images/papers/245_Branding_of_Cities.pd f> “About the Aquarium.” Aquariumofpacific.org. N.A. N.D. Web. July 19, 2013. <http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/about> “About the City.” Longbeach.gov. N.D. N.A. Web. January 19, 2013. <http://www.longbeach.gov/citymanager/maprogram/city.asp> “Building Mastery in Place Branding: An Interview with Edward M. Burghard.” Leaders Magazine. Volume 32, Number 2 2009. N.A. Web. May 20, 2013. <http://www.leadersmag.com/issues/2009.2_apr/pdfs/rob/burghard.pdf> “City of Long Beach Economic Development Implementation Plan.” Economic Development Bureau. 2007. Web. January 10, 2013. <http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=17681> Page | 87 “Dictionary.” American Marketed Association N.D. Web. 10, July 2013. <http://www.marketingpower.com/_layouts/dictionary.aspx?dletter=b>. “Economic Development Strategy: A Five-Year Plan for Promoting Job Creation and Economic Growth.” Portland Development Commission (PDC). June, 2009. Web. December 19, 2012. <http://www.pdxeconomicdevelopment.com/docs/Portland-Ec-Dev- Strategy.pdf> “Economy at a Glance - Unemployment Rates, Not Seasonally Adjusted (Long Beach, Santa Monica, CA and Portland OR).” United States Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics. December 10, 2012. Web. http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.ca_losangeles_md.htm “Global 100.” Brand Finance. N.A. September 2011. Web. December 18, 2012. <http://issuu.com/brandfinance/docs/september_update?e=3802308/2704 512> “Global Market.” Consulting Firm of Metti & Bronner. N.A. Web. December 18, 2012. <http://www.metti-bronner.com/globalmarket.html> “I Amsterdam - The Campaign to Re-brand Amsterdam.” ThisisNotAdvertising.wordpress.com. N.A. November 5, 2012. Web. December 10, 2012. <http://thisisnotadvertising.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/i-amsterdam-the- campaign-to-re-brand-amsterdam/> “Long Beach, CA” and “Santa Monica, CA” and “Portland, OR.” United States Census. Web. January 12, 2013. <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0643000.html> “Long Beach, California (CA) Zip Code Map - Locations, Demographics.” City- Data.com. Web. January 21, 2013. <http://www.city- data.com/zipmaps/Long-Beach-California.html> “Netflix Failures and Lessons from Betrayal of Brand Loyalty.” Chris Voss Show. N.A. October, 2011. Web. January 20, 2013. <http://thechrisvossshow.com/netflix-failures-and-lessons-from-betrayal- of-brand-loyalty/> “NYC Statistics.” www.NYCgo.com. N.A. Web. December 10, 2012. <http://www.nycgo.com/articles/nyc-statistics-page> “Santa Monica History.” Santa Monica History Museum. N.A. N.D. Web. January, 12, 2013. <http://santamonicahistory.org/santa-monica-history/> Page | 88 “Santa Monica Destination Brand Blueprint Update.” Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau. N.D. Web. 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Barnett, Matthew
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Core Title
Municipal place branding for economic development
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Annenberg School for Communication
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Master of Arts
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Strategic Public Relations
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10/01/2013
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branding,Economic development,municipal branding,OAI-PMH Harvest,place branding
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branding
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place branding