MARKETING RFP ISSUED BY REDDING, CALIFORNIA
The City of Redding (“City” or “Redding”) seeks a firm to develop and implement a sustainable and strategic marketing and branding plan addressing the attraction, expansion, and retention of tourists, both individual and group, in Redding; including strategic visioning, style guide development, marketing collaterals design and production, and media buying for all elements of the plan from the idea phase through launch. A well-designed marketing and branding plan will promote the region as a premier destination to the benefit of job creation, increased tax revenues (both transient occupancy and sales), and improved economic development for the City of Redding. The plan should provide an accurate portrayal that resonates with visitors and residents alike. This firm should also identify common ideas and directions for community stakeholders to produce a collectively generated internal sense of place.
Background:
The City of Redding has undertaken an intentional identity campaign led by the Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce over the last two years with the purpose of developing a community story. The resulting Redding City Identity Project has been an inward-facing image awareness campaign to increase place attachment and a more collectively generated community image. Building on the momentum of the Redding City Identity Project, the City of Redding seeks to embrace a new brand image that clearly sets Redding apart as a tourist destination while representing hundreds of tourism related entities and incorporate a sense of place which residents both identify and champion.
Strengths
• Proximity to an abundance of natural outdoor recreational amenities
• Visually appealing local scenery for photo and video
• High energy amongst stakeholders for cohesive tourism marketing effort
• Opportunity for growth in content marketing
Challenges
• Lack of cohesive feel and image in current marketing efforts; lacking an image and tagline that clearly identifies who Redding is while being inviting and positive
• Effectively promoting the City of Redding in addition to outside area attractions
• Being proactive to new technology and marketing strategies and initiatives
• Maintaining a website that feels both evergreen and innovative and also mobile friendly
• Lack of recognized city-wide event calendar that functions as the best resource for residents and tourists alike
Redding is the county seat of Shasta County, located in Northern California at the north end of the Sacramento Valley. With a population of roughly 90,000, and conveniently located on Interstate 5, Redding is the second largest California city north of Sacramento, the center of trade and commerce for the region, and is the second sunniest city in the United States. Redding is nestled near the base of both Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen and sits between the Trinity Alps on the west and the Cascade Mountains on the east. Redding is the epicenter of outdoor recreational activity in the region with Shasta Lake, Whiskeytown Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park and Mount Shasta all within an hour’s drive. There are hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails for residents and visitors to explore. Complementing the mountains and the lakes are waterfalls, natural swimming spots, creeks, rapids, and over 300 sunny days a year in which to enjoy the outdoors. In recent years, Redding has become a destination for mountain biking. With the development of dozens of trails, riders come to experience the Enticer, French Fry, Snail Trail, and many more. Several races occur annually including the Lemurian Classic which has been held regularly since 1987. In addition to its proximity to some of the most beautiful natural amenities California has to offer, Downtown Redding was designated as one of fourteen Cultural Districts by the State of California. Redding is home to the Cascade Theater, the Riverfront Playhouse, and the Civic Auditorium, each of which hosts a varied repertoire of concerts, plays, musicals, and comedic entertainment year-round. Redding is also home to the world-famous Sundial Bridge located on the Sacramento River at Turtle Bay Exploration Park. Turtle Bay Exploration Park is comprised of a museum, wildlife park, outdoor playgrounds, arboretum, botanical gardens, and more. Downtown Redding is undergoing an extensive revitalization bringing with it new vibrancy and opportunity through the investment of more than $300 million in private and public funding. Redding’s Downtown is home to breweries, pubs, wine bars, boutiques, and eclectic eateries and motels that draw residents and tourists alike. As the core of the city continues to expand its offerings, new housing is being constructed for residents seeking a downtown lifestyle. The City has invested time and energy into redesigning streets, pedestrian walkways, and bike paths to make the Downtown more inviting to active transportation. Redding has beautiful city parks and facilities for walking, boating, fishing, basketball, softball, baseball, volleyball, pickle ball, soccer, tennis, disc golf, horseshoes, skateboarding, roller hockey, aquatics, and off-leash dog play. California Soccer Park is a full-service sports facility with four NCAA sized all-weather turf fields and over 2,000 square feet of covered seating. Next door to California Soccer Park is Big League Dreams, a replica ball field with multiple baseball diamonds, a field house that hosts indoor hockey, roller derby, and soccer, and features stadium seating and batting cages. Redding’s amenities make it a prime location to host everything from sports tournaments and corporate conventions to weddings and film crews.
Scope of Work:
Goals
• Drive visitation and increase travelers and visitor expenditures
• Establish the rebrand of Redding for current residents, potential visitors and travelers
• Demonstrate how the rebrand will integrate with our existing advertising, social media and website
• Establish consistency in photography and messaging that underpin the true experience of Redding and result in return visitors
The City understands there are a variety of approaches to achieve these goals. Proposals must address all areas listed below. Indicate in the proposal when sub-consultants are planned and attach background information on the sub-consultant(s).
• Audit current marketing assets to determine what implicit and explicit messages are currently being sent and to what success.
• Provide analysis and direction on the current website and/or a new website.
• Develop a marketing and branding plan that specifies primary audiences, brand values, personality, and identifies a place-brand strategy to hold a specific position and purpose in the Redding community.
• Develop a marketing strategy to include traditional media (print, radio, and television), digital advertising, social media marketing, website, blog and/or e-newsletters, and any other avenues seen as necessary.
• Develop consistent and high-quality photography and videography standards so marketing assets appear cohesive to new brand identity.
• Increase resident-held place identity and stakeholder cooperation to form “common ground” for a community collective goal and measures to meet those goals.
• Increase awareness among all audiences of the value of Redding and encourage community support.
• Create and maintain a community calendar of events that serves as the best local resource for both residents and tourists alike to discover things to do in Redding.
• Define plan successes and provide post-advertising measurement and analysis with written overviews The City requests the proposal include examples of previous work completed, strategies used to develop the project(s), and an implementation outline to detail plans to launch the strategy. The examples provided should demonstrate ability and creativity to develop a strategy and associated plans/vision. Finalists will be invited to present to the City’s Selection Committee, which will make a recommendation to the City Council regarding the award of the contract.
Contract and Budget
The estimated budget for these services is $1 million annually. The contract will include a fiveyear term with five one-year options to extend with mutual written agreement.
Due Date:
3:00 p.m. PST on Friday, February 19, 2021
Address:
City of Redding City Clerk 777 Cypress Avenue Redding, CA 96001-2718
Relevant agencies to consider include MWW PR and Alison Brod PR.
