Virginia County Issues Branding RFP

The County of Powhatan, Virginia has issued a branding RFP. The goal is to create a brand that enhances the image of the community as a great destination and community. A branding campaign will help instill a sense of pride for the County as well as create design standards for future marketing and communication material.

Goal & Objectives

• Uniformity – The brand should convey a common message and image to audiences both within and outside of the County of Powhatan.
• Community Identity/ Pride – Identify and promote what makes the County of Powhatan distinct and appealing in a regionally competitive environment for investors, businesses retailers, visitors, and residents.
• Community and Economic Development Promotion – promote a healthy economy, attract private investment, new residents and young professionals, and retain key businesses. A defined message that will market the County of Powhatan locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally as a great place to live, work, play and do business; the right place for development and investment; the perfect mix for a business-friendly community.
• Flexibility – The brand must be flexible and adaptable in order to meet the needs of a variety of departments and municipal functions within the County of Powhatan as well as groups and businesses within the overall brand.
• Endorsement   –  The  brand  must  be  authentic  and  resonate  with  citizens,  businesses,  and community groups within the County of Powhatan and throughout the region in order to gain the broadest possible support for the initiatives.

Powhatan ranks as the fifth fastest growing locality in Virginia, and is located on the western edge of the Richmond Metropolitan Area, approximately 20 miles west of the City of Richmond, Virginia, the State Capitol.

Scope of Work

The chosen firm shall provide services to the County of Powhatan and lead all aspects of the County of Powhatan community branding initiative, including:

Creative elements that may include design concepts, logos, messages, tagline, and other products to support the overall brand initiative. The selected  logo  design  will  be  delivered  with  a  style  manual  and  guidelines  for use and the capability of use in the following:

1. Print and electronic advertising
2. Website design
3. Media placement
4. Public Relations
5. Events
6. Templates

Deliverables

1. Branding/Logo Design – Design of a dynamic logo that can be used in a variety of formats,
2. E-Newsletter Template – One to three templates of the e-newsletter would be desirable.
3. Print Newsletter Template –
4. Print Key Facts/At-A-Glance – 2-page template that can be filled in with basic information about the economic development and/or tourism efforts and the County, such as general information, demographics, how to start a business.
5. Complementary brochures and information sheets – create a series of complementary templates.
6. Press/Organization   Kit   –   Folder   with   pertinent   information   about   economic development/tourism/County for the press and/or prospective businesses, visitors and/or residents.
7. PowerPoint – Template that can be filled in for presentations about economic development projects, tourism efforts, or about the County itself.
8. Print Ad Campaign – Create a series of three (3) advertising concepts promoting the unique selling proposition (s) of Powhatan
9. Photography – In order to enhance the marketing efforts, the County desires original, high-quality digital photography of the County
10. Graphics/Maps  –  One  to  three  versions  of  maps/aerials  of  the  County  within  larger  Metro Richmond/Virginia/East Coast context for insertion into a variety of marketing materials.
11. Copywriting/Content Development – Brand Messaging/Taglines/ Core Values / Mission, Goals & Purpose Statements

Padilla-CRT & French-West-Vaughan are major Virginia PR firms.

Proposal due by July 25, 2016 to:

Charla Schubert, Director of Finance, Ph: (804) 598-5610
E-mail: cschubert@powhatanva.gov