STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA NEEDS BRANDING FIRM

The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and North Carolina Arts Council seek to develop a visual brand and messaging that celebrates North Carolina music. The state has produced many extraordinary musicians and is one of the few remaining places where music remains an important part of the fabric of everyday life. In every county of North Carolina, people continue to come together to make music themselves or to experience the transformative power of music played by their friends and neighbors. The State of North Carolina is seeking to create a strong visual brand and clear message to tell the story of music in North Carolina. The Brand will be used to increase awareness about North Carolina music and give a consistent look and feel as we move forward with creating unforgettable musical experiences across the state.

The message campaign should include a strategic assessment or workshop with key leadership and the development and approval of a Creative Brief that will be the blueprint for all creative output. Following approval of the Creative Brief, the Contractor will develop a branding strategy that can be implemented by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the North Carolina Arts Council to ensure consistent messaging.

The vision of this project is to create an environment across North Carolina where:

• our citizens know our musical history and embrace those whose creativity has transformed music in American;
• the vibrant music traditions of the state are sustained and utilized in appropriate ways to improve the lives of resident;
• musicians thrive and feel supported in their creative lives;
• visitors and residents alike can appreciate and enjoy the energy of the music and the places where music is made;
• our youth are provided with first-hand musical experiences that spark their interest and creativity and give them the ability to sustain our state’s music traditions in the future.

Scope of Work:

Phase 1

The Contractor shall:

1. develop a creative brief to function as a blueprint for all creative output for the project;
2. develop a brand position, including a tagline for the NC Music initiative;
3. design a new NC Music logo;
4. design a complete North Caroling Music toolkit for partners and media outlets;
5. design NC Music Events promotional materials;
6. design advertisement templates for season programs and booklets related to NC Music;
7. develop graphic standards for the new NC Music logo and tagline;
8. design clear, brief messages that communicate the brand and value of NC Music.

Phase 2

The Contractor shall:

1. develop website design template recommendations based on the Creative Brief;
2. design NC Music collateral materials (template album covers, social media graphics, t-shirts, and/or other marketing materials, as needed);
3. design an Event and Concert invitation;
4. develop and design a NC Music awareness brochure;
5. develop and design a NC Music rack card for distribution at North Carolina Welcome Centers throughout the state;
6. develop a social media campaign promoting NC Music.

Due Date:

March 13th, 2018

Address:

North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

Purchasing Office

4605 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-4605

PR firms with experience working with cities includes APCO Worldwide.