The City of Lafayette Issues Branding RFP

The City of Lafayette (City) is pleased to release this Request for Proposal (RFP) for professional branding/marketing services related to the City of Lafayette Brand Assessment and Strategic Plan (Project). The objective of this RFP is to select a Respondent that satisfies the City of Lafayette’s need to comprehensively discover our distinct brand identity and develop a brand implementation strategy that will convey the City of Lafayette’s brand to residents, visitors, and existing and prospective businesses. This brand assessment project will reveal how the community views the City of Lafayette and how they define the City’s brand. identify City strengths and characteristics that resonate with and draw residents and visitors into Lafayette. develop strategic implementation plans that will ultimately cultivate these findings into key messages, a voice, and visuals.

Background:

Lafayette, Colorado was incorporated in 1889 by town founder Mary Miller when she and her husband, Lafayette, moved to the area to farm. Lafayette initially grew as a coal mining community and, as the mining industry declined from the 1930s through 1950s, returned to an agricultural-based economy. With the increase in residential growth, the farm-based economy changed once again and commercial, small industrial, healthcare, and manufacturing factors became more prevalent. Lafayette is located on the eastern edge of Boulder County, just northwest of Denver, combining a small-town atmosphere with the convenience of easy access to a major metropolitan area. Despite a 32% population increase from 2010-2020, Lafayette has maintained its charm and has developed into an eclectic, diverse, and creative community with over 30,000 residents. The City will retain its current logo, which was developed in 2015 to replace a design initially established in 1982.

To learn more about the logo, visit lafayetteco.gov/Logo. City Vision Lafayette’s panoramic view of the Rocky Mountains inspires our view into the future. We value our heritage, our unique neighborhoods, a vibrant economy, and active lifestyles. We envision a future that mixes small-town livability with balanced growth and superior City services. 2021 City Council Priorities Quality community amenities Fiscally responsible Safe, welcoming, and inclusive Bold, authentic leadership Sense of place Affordable, attainable, and just Economic prosperity Excellent City services and infrastructure Mobile and connected Environmental leadership View the expanded descriptions of these Council strategic priorities. 2021 Community Survey Results View residents’ opinions on Council’s four focus areas View residents’ opinions on the City’s community attributes View residents’ opinion on the City’s six benchmarking measurements January 2020 Environmental Scan This environmental scan provides a snapshot of the City of Lafayette’s demographic trends as well as the City’s historical budget and staffing levels, AND present a broad view of the City’s operating environment.

Scope of Work:

Brand Discovery and Assessment The Respondent will be expected to complete a formal, comprehensive market research study to gain audience insight into the brand strategy and visual identity for the community and the organization, including consultation with key stakeholders and the broader community. This research will reveal, among other authentic elements, market segmentations, attitudes, behaviors, wants/needs, barriers/challenges, and cultural values. Deliverable(s): In-depth report, analysis, and summary outlining the findings of the market study. Identify Brand Concepts and Guidelines From the brand discovery and assessment phase, a framework of the City’s brand story will emerge and be developed to identify and outline Brand position Brand value proposition Brand promise Brand persona and personality Brand key messages Brand voice Strategic plan for the external rollout of the City brand Strategic plan for the internal rollout of the City brand Strategic Plan to incorporate the City brand into a Shop Local campaign Establish criteria and data points to track and measure effectiveness and success of the new brand who we are, what we stand for, and what makes us unique including, but not limited to: Deliverable(s): From this discovery, the Respondent will also develop and provide a physical and comprehensive Brand Guidelines manual for internal use and reference. Develop Brand Strategies/Plans The following plans will be formally developed and outlined: – Proposed brand execution – Proposed methods to promote the brand through activities, collateral, digital media, etc. – Propose how to conceptually and visually apply the brand across all City departments – Propose how to unify and align the look and tone across all City departments – Proposed method and activities to apply the brand to support and attract local business Deliverable(s): The three strategic plans outlined above and a plan to track and measure ongoing brand effectiveness.

Due Date: October 29

Address:

Submit an electronic version of the entire proposal by October 24 to:Debbie.Wilmot@lafayetteco.gov Email subject line: Brand Assessment RFP_ If you do not receive a confirmation that your electronic proposal was received, please contact Debbie for confirmation. Submit one physical copy of the entire proposal by October 25 to: City of Lafayette Brand Assessment RFP Attn: Debbie Wilmot, Communications Director 1290 S. Public Rd. Lafayette, CO 80026

Agencies to consider for this assignment include KCSA Communications and Shift Communications.