Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce Issues Branding RFP
The planning process for the 2018-2020 Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce (FGCC) Strategic Plan uncovered several strategic challenges as well as rationale for internal change. To address these challenges and work toward the organization’s mission and vision, the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce outlined new strategies, including potentially rebranding the organization.
Background:
The planning process for the 2018-2020 Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce (FGCC) Strategic Plan uncovered several strategic challenges as well as rationale for internal change. To address these challenges and work toward the organization’s mission and vision, the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce outlined new strategies, including potentially rebranding the organization.
FGCC has four distinct action groups, Economic Development, Member Services, Education & Training and Convention and Visitors Bureau. The organization is seeking a branding consultant to determine and develop brand identity for the organization as a whole and/or four distinct brands, individually. The work of these four groups is detailed below.
Economic Development
Flint, Michigan began its descent into economic distress during the worldwide economic crisis of the 1970s and never fully recovered. As a result, Flint and the surrounding communities in Genesee County began to struggle with increased poverty, high crime rates, infant mortality, and property foreclosures. This was only exacerbated by failing infrastructure, abnormally low literacy rates, and a rapidly shrinking tax base. For the economy to become more vibrant, it is understood that the number of residents and quality jobs must increase, and the business environment must diversify. Economic Development’s goal is to be a relentless force for facilitating economic growth in the county through increasing the number of new jobs created and encouraging private investment in Genesee County. This is being done through leveraging of existing resources and partnerships at local, state and regional levels.
Member Services
Member Services at the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce works to build a strong business community that furthers the collective and individual success of businesses in Flint & Genesee. There are over 1,100 Chamber members, and over one hundred events offered annually that connect the community with businesses and organizations to foster networking, learning and growth opportunities.
Education & Training
Education & Training supports the success of our region’s growing workforce with K-12 career preparation programs, adult talent development, and a college promise program. YouthQuest operates at 15 school sites within Genesee County and provides high-quality afterschool programming that enriches and enlightens K-12 students. The program serves over 1,000 students daily. TeenQuest, a pre-employment leadership training program for high school students, provides teens a safe environment in which they gain skills that prepare them for their first job. TeenQuest is a requirement for all students employed by the Summer Youth Initiative – an opportunity for teens to be employed during the summer months of high school. Career Edge is a series of workshops designed to help adult participants gain the skills they need to get and keep a job. Flint Promise is a non-competitive, “last dollar” scholarship for students who both reside and graduate from a high school within the City of Flint. This scholarship can be used to pay for tuition, fees and books for students attending three local colleges and universities. All of these programs work toward FGCC’s desire to serve the needs of employers through workforce development.
Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Flint & Genesee Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) works to improve the perception of Flint & Genesee to increase tourism and drive business in the region. The CVB serves as the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Flint & Genesee and is contracted by the County of Genesee to operate a county-wide tourism and marketing bureau. This is done by improving visitor experiences, continual evaluation in Flint & Genesee’s destination brand, and marketing the destination as a desirable location for hosting events.
Scope of Work:
Phase I
• Review existing research and conduct additional needed market research
• Engage stakeholders, including board members, staff, members, and the community in the process to strengthen buy-in
• Evaluate whether our name, Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, clearly and effectively communicates the organization’s diverse groups and work streams
• Identify brand and develop a strategy to deliver our promise to our audiences
• Evaluate the need for sub-brands for the organization; develop sub-brand identities and strategies as needed
• Recommend a new or existing name for the organization and recommended sub-brands
Phase ll
• Develop visual identity elements and messaging that will communicate the brand(s), i.e. logo, tagline, key high-level message points, including identified/recommended sub-brands
• Create style guides for advertising, letterhead, promotional materials, e-communication, business cards, signage and more
• Develop a strategy to gain organizational consensus for the brand(s) positioning
Due Date:
May 18
Address:
Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce Branding Development
Julie Hipps, Administrative Coordinator
Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce
email: jhipps@flintandgenesee.org
Agencies worth considering include Hunter PR and M Booth PR.
