Orlando, Florida Wants Marketing Agency

The City of Orlando has issued an RFP for a marketing company.

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT:

The Downtown Development Board (DDB), through the City of Orlando’s Procurement and Contracts Division, is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to work with the DDB on developing and delivering a comprehensive marketing program for Downtown Orlando.

Over the term of the contract, the firm selected may be asked to perform a variety of marketing services, including:

1. Market investigations
2. Brand development
3. Website redesign
4. Marketing plans and strategy
5. Campaign tracking and benchmarking
6. Public Relations

DOWNTOWN ORLANDO BACKGROUND:

The City of Orlando is a model for urban growth and is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing cities in the United States. Downtown Orlando is the heart and soul of Central Florida. From a bustling center of commerce with a diverse set of industries, Downtown Orlando is dynamic and alive with business and entertainment. Downtown Orlando is home to the area’s best arts and entertainment with an array of options to choose from including cultural events, five professional sports teams, museums, award winning dining establishments and a multitude of nightlife options.

Two City agencies have significant roles in the development of Downtown Orlando. The City’s Downtown Development Board was created pursuant to a special act of the legislature in 1971 and assists in guiding redevelopment of the City’s Downtown core. The City’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was created in 1980 and is charged with redevelopment and revitalization within the Downtown redevelopment area.

Downtown Orlando has witnessed tremendous growth in recent years. There are currently major projects underway representing approximately $5.39 billion in investment. There are 11,628 residential units in Downtown Orlando with another 964 under construction and 3,266 units proposed. New construction only provides a hint of the phenomenal growth and vitality that exists in Orlando. The Downtown population is presently around 15,622.

Downtown Orlando neighborhoods include the Central Business District, Lake Cherokee Historic District, South Eola District, Thornton Park, Eola Heights, North Quarter District and the Parramore Heritage District. The Downtown Orlando geography is accented with beautiful lakes and several have been developed into spectacular public parks and recreational venues.

The Downtown area has truly emerged as a sports and entertainment district, anchored by the new state-of-the-art Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, a reconstructed Camping World Stadium, a soccer stadium under construction for our Major League Soccer teams and the Amway Center, home to three professional sports teams including the Orlando Magic, Orlando Solar Bears and the Orlando Predators. These venues will serve as cultural cornerstones for the region for generations to come.
Downtown Orlando is a walkable, livable city, where it is easy and convenient to get around. SunRail, the new commuter rail system, links Downtown with the rest of Central Florida.

With the City’s transportation partner, LYNX, service has expanded on LYMMO, a free Downtown bus circulator. In 2016, LYMMO opened a third line – the Lime Line. The new expanded service provides accessibility to key Downtown points of interest.
Downtown Orlando is flanked by two of the most prestigious hospital systems in the United States – Orlando Health and Florida Hospital. Orlando Health consists of four hospitals in its greater Downtown campus – Orlando Regional Medical Center, UF Health Cancer Center, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Woman & Babies and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

Orlando Health is the only Level One Trauma Center in Central Florida. Florida Hospital is one of the country’s largest not-for-profit health care providers with 22 campuses serving communities throughout Florida. The Florida Hospital Orlando is an acute care community hospital and also serves as a major tertiary facility for much of the Southeast, the Caribbean and Latin America. Recently, Florida Hospital developed Health Village in the greater Downtown area, a 172-acre mixed use planned community that provides an immersive environment rich in resources that encourage whole-person health.

PROJECT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

The DDB and CRA objectives with respect to marketing Downtown Orlando are to:

1. Support implementation of the Project DTO Vision Plan and Marketing Strategy.
2. Create and activate DTO’s authentic and aspirational brand identity—home of the opportunity economy.
3. Compliment other Orlando businesses’ marketing efforts, including and travel and tourism marketing efforts.
4. Support Downtown Orlando’s Community Venues.
5. Position Downtown Orlando to attract people and business creators to the DDB/CRA.
6. Increase the CRA’s and DDB’s revenue.
7. Shift negative perceptions regarding:
   • Parking,
   • Safety, and
   • Lack of experiences and options.
8. Reach target audiences.
   • Primary Market: Consumers, including those groups which need to be attracted to Downtown to support the implementation of the Vision Plan, such as:
     • Locals who are ready for their Downtown to be understood and appreciated.
     • Repeat consumers reflecting the diversity of Downtown’s offerings that have the potential to be converted into brand loyalists.
     • Developers who are capable of advancing private development that will maximize the potential of the DDB/CRA.
     • Innovators and visionaries from all sectors and industries eager and capable of making a memorable mark in our “opportunity economy.”
   • Secondary Market: Our secondary audience includes in-market visitors and tourists who may be magnetized to Downtown Orlando for business activities, entertainment, art, culture and experience offerings.

SCOPE OF SERVICES:

The selected Proposer will be expected to provide advertising and marketing services as assigned during the term of the Contract, including:

1. Market Investigation
2. Supplement market analysis information from the existing Project DTO Marketing Strategy by conducting a strategic analysis including analysis of demographics, business trends, and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis as the foundation for the marketing program and corresponding program areas.
3. Procure and analyze any additional consumer, media and market research, including demographics and psychographics needed. Such research may involve the utilization of cell phone gps tracking and ip address reporting.
4. Research best practices of downtown marketing campaigns, special events and other promotions to provide recommendations to the DDB.
5. Provide a strategic assessment of DDB’s current marketing materials, website, and advertising outlets and their effectiveness at reaching target markets.
6. Recommend market positioning based upon overall research in a report format.

Brand Development:

1. Develop a strong, reliable identity for the DDB, which may include the redesign or refresh of graphic images and their related tag lines, color palettes, style guides, and signature fonts.
2. Develop brand guidelines for DDB.
3. Create multiple design schemes of creative artwork subject to review and consideration, including print ad templates and digital ad templates for City of Orlando graphics team to use. It is expected that such looks should be able to extend to all creative items including PowerPoint templates, newsletters, folders, tradeshow booth branding and more.
4. Create brand positioning and messaging that clearly communicates value proposition to the needs of target audiences.
5. Create specific messages that target third party consultants, including site selection professionals, relocation consultants and corporate real estate professionals in consultation with the Orlando Economic Development Commission, area Chambers of Commerce and other partner organizations identified by DDB to assist with corporate recruitment.
6. Create specific Downtown Orlando messages in consultation with other partner organizations identified by DDB to enhance Downtown Orlando tourism efforts.
7. Create general ads for each target audience, including any recommended graphic design revisions.

Website Redesign:

1. Work on website redesign and implementation in conjunction with the DDB’s website developer (whether staff or third party) and DDB staff.
2. Provide DDB with key website graphic assets.
3. Provide web creative content to DDB web management team. DDB’s website objectives:
   • Be an informational, research, and educational tool, increasing the visibility of Downtown Orlando to visitors and the general public.
   • Create new leads and requests for information about living, working, investing, and visiting Downtown Orlando.
   • Be visually appealing and have an attractive mix of text, photos and graphics that provide user-friendly navigation, thus enabling easy access to information within appropriate categories.

Marketing Plan and Strategy:

1. Create and present a comprehensive and strategic plan that provides recommendations for marketing (domestic and international) to each targeted market segment, including use of trade, print and digital communication techniques based on a budget of $250,000. This budget is inclusive of the selected firm fees and other non-advertising related expenses. Such plan shall integrate a digital advertising plan to include search engine marketing.
2. Design and produce integrated media advertising campaigns and media plans with representative budgets, schedules and products that are based on unique selling propositions, creativity, relevancy, market research, cost effectiveness, target market reach and/or penetration and program development. Evaluate all available media and provide recommendations for media mix, in terms of cost, reach and fit.
3. Make presentations of its plan or progress on the marketing components to the CRA Advisory Committee and Downtown Development Board as needed.

Media Placement:

Solicit and negotiate media buys, in coordination with the DDB, in accordance with the appropriate audience the DDB is targeting.

Campaign Tracking and Benchmarking:

1. Define a comprehensive plan to measure the value of media the DDB has purchased and its effectiveness.
2. Provide quarterly written summary reports of the implementation and effectiveness of campaigns conducted and the corresponding media plan.
3. Coordinate existing research data to provide pre- and post-analyses and topics for primary marketing research, such as focus groups and surveys.
4. Provide keyword and SEO management throughout the duration of campaigns.

Public Relations:

• Assist with public relations, which may include special events and other publicity opportunities.
• Recommend strategies to meet objectives.

Proposal due by April 6th, 2017 to:

City of Orlando
Procurement and Contracts Division
400 South Orange Avenue, Fourth Floor
Orlando, Florida 32801

Leading candidates for this would include Zimmerman PR.