City of Eureka, Marketing Services

The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to acquire proposals from qualified full-service marketing agencies and/or marketing consultants. The selected Consultant will develop a distinct and ever-evolving “brand” for Eureka, provide a range of professional marketing services, and engage in effective promotion of the City of Eureka as a premiere northern California destination for residents, businesses, and visitors. The City will provide a maximum annual budget of $370,000.

Scope of Work

While the scope of work below is what the City believes is needed, the City also is very open to entirely different approaches. Accordingly, entities that are putting together proposals are encouraged to modify and/or entirely reimagine every component of the scope of work. If there are better ideas than what is presented below, then we want to know about it. The City is not an expert on marketing or branding, which is the reason the City is seeking a specialist to serve as a Consultant and partner to the City. Thus, if the scope below can be improved upon, then the City expects specialists to tell us things we don’t know and to guide us towards the most efficient and effective ways to spend our limited funds. Inspire us. Teach us. Help us make Eureka a better place.

Task 1: Research and Analysis

This is the first task that the selected Consultant will deliver to the City. Provide an outline and/or timeline of how                the Consultant would accomplish this task of conducting the initial research and analysis necessary to implement                 the remainder of the scope of work.

Upon initiation of the contract, the selected Consultant will review existing branding and marketing currently underway in Eureka and in the region. Consultant will then utilize this information, as well as their experience and expertise, to build strategies and tactics to embed messaging into the community, internally and externally. The messaging must be designed to resonate regionally, nationally, and internationally. This stage of the process will also include establishing relationships with City staff and other relevant stakeholder groups. Additionally, the selected Consultant will provide a transition plan to minimize the disturbance of any current marketing efforts.

Task 1 Proposal Requirement:

Provide an outline and/or timeline of how the Consultant would accomplish the task of conducting the initial research and analysis necessary to implement the remainder of the scope of work. Preliminary research/analysis is also welcome.

Task 1 Contract Deliverables (for selected consultant only):

• Analysis of existing branding and marketing currently underway in Eureka and in the region.
• Transition plan from the current situation to new messaging and new target audiences. Where appropriate (as determined by Consultant and City staff), include ways to maintain and/or collaborate with current marketing efforts throughout the transition.
• Establish relationships with City departments and relevant organizations.
• Begin the process of establishing the vision and goals of the brand identity in reference to the General Plan and City Visioning.

Task 1 Required Contract Timeline: July 2019 – September 2019

Task 2: Audience Research and Identification Plan

During the life of the contract, the Consultant will develop and maintain a “City of Eureka Audience Research and Identification Plan.” For the purposes of this proposal, provide a detailed outline or early draft of the Plan that will guide the Consultant’s work throughout the life of the contract. The draft submitted does not need to be a final product but should include sufficient detail to demonstrate to the City the Consultant’s overall approach to researching and determining the appropriate audiences to which everything in this scope of work will be directed. Identify strategies for demographic data gathering and analysis, how the Consultant will keep the data updated, how the Consultant will utilize the data collected, and any other components that clearly define what the City can expect in regards to audience research and identification. Also, provide a detailed list of suggested metrics by which the City should measure success for this task. The Consultant will be expected to submit an update to this plan annually

Task 2 Proposal Requirement:

Detailed outline or early draft of a “City of Eureka Audience Research and Identification Plan.”

Task 2 Contract Deliverables (for selected consultant only):

• Annually-updated “City of Eureka Branding and Image Management Plan,” including a brand strategy for each target audience.
• Strategies for gathering, analyzing, and utilizing demographic data to inform brand and image management.
• Consultant-suggested metrics by which the City should annually measure success for this task.

Task 3: Eureka Branding and Image Management Plan

This task is about branding Eureka, not about branding the Consultant’s organization. During the life of the contract, the Consultant will develop and maintain a “City of Eureka Branding and Image Management Plan.” For the purposes of this proposal, provide a detailed outline or early draft of the Plan. The draft submitted does not need to be a final product but should include sufficient detail to demonstrate to the City the Consultant’s overall approach to branding and image management for Eureka. How will the Consultant establish an ever-evolving Eureka Brand that is inspiring to locals, residents of the greater region, and attractive to visitors? The development of logos, letterhead, and other related materials will be for the City of Eureka, not for the Consultant’s organization. The City needs good branding and a good image, not a Consultant-organization with a good brand and a good Image. It is the City’s expectation that the selected Consultant will revise, finalize, and receive City approval for the plan within one year of being selected. Also provide a detailed list of suggested metrics by which the City should measure success for this task.

Task 3 Proposal Requirement:

Detailed outline or early draft of a “City of Eureka Branding and Image Management Plan.”

Task 3 Contract Deliverables (for selected consultant only):

• Annually-updated “City of Eureka Branding and Image Management Plan,” including a brand strategy for each target audience.
• Strategies for the gathering, analyzing, and utilizing demographic data to inform brand and image management.
• Consultant-suggested metrics by which the City should annually measure success for this task.

Task 4: Marketing, Media Production, and Communications Plan (aka “Marketing Plan”)

During the life of the contract, one of the primary responsibilities of the selected Consultant will be to work with City staff to create the messaging, expression of brand standards, and visual elements that will effectively communicate the City’s emerging identity to target audiences. Messaging should connect to the hearts and minds of our internal and external audiences. This will all be managed through an annually-updated Marketing Plan.

For the purposes of this proposal, provide a detailed outline or early draft of a City of Eureka Marketing, Media Production, and Communications Plan that will guide the Consultant’s work throughout the life of the contract. The draft submitted does not need to be a final product, but should include sufficient detail to demonstrate to the City the Consultant’s overall approach to the following types of activities:

• Marketing and representing Eureka
• Producing and managing media regarding Eureka
• Strategies for staying up-to-date regarding Eureka-based events and activities
• Techniques to increase the attendance of Eureka-based events
• Identification of specific mediums that will be used to market/communicate, how/why those mediums will be used, specific marketing and communication strategies, how various components of Eureka will be marketed differently
• Style guide with visual and graphic standards
• Specific strategies for developing and maintaining a website
• Strategies for producing a variety of marketable media (such as audio, video, photographs, etc)
• Strategies for “earned media”
• Approaches for maintaining a robust social media presence on behalf of the City
• SEO/keyword targeting strategies
• Approaches to search/display marketing and channel/platform planning
• Any other components that clearly define what the City can expect in regards to marketing and branding strategies.

It is the City’s expectation that the selected Consultant will revise, finalize, and receive City approval for the plan within one year of being selected.

Task 4 Proposal Requirement:

Detailed outline or early draft of a “City of Eureka Marketing, Media Production, and Communications Plan.”

Task 4 Contract Deliverables (for selected consultant only):

Annually-updated “City of Eureka Marketing, Media Production, and Communications Plan.”

Consultant-suggested metrics by which the City should annually measure success for this task.

Task 4 Required Contract Timeline: First submittal on December 1^st, 2019; Annual update on July 1^st each year.

Task 5: Implementation of Marketing and Branding Strategies

This is the most important task and the heart of the project. This task consists of the day-to-day implementation of the above plans, as well as all the activities, actions, and accomplishments implemented by the Consultant to brand and market Eureka. This task constitutes the sole purpose of the funding provided by the City and is the primary measure by which the Consultant will be measured. For the purposes of this proposal, provide a narrative of how the Consultant will implement this project, engage with the various audiences, and manage Eureka’s image.

Task 5 Proposal Requirement:

Narrative of how the Consultant will implement this project, engage with the various audiences, and manage Eureka’s image.

Task 5 Contract Deliverables (for selected consultant only):

• Implementation of above plans.
• Accomplishment of City goals.
• There is a substantial increase in the number of people with a positive image of Eureka as a spectacular place to live, work, and visit.
• There is a measurable increase in the number of people that choose to visit Eureka, stay in Eureka, shop in Eureka, and recreate in Eureka.

Task 5 Required Contract Timeline: Non-stop (24/7/365) marketing and branding of Eureka all day every day of the year.

Due Date

April 5th 2019 4:00pm

Contact

Rob Holmlund
Development Services Director
531 K Street
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 441-4160

Agencies with strong experience for this assignment include 5WPR and Alison Brod PR.