Brand Strategy ~ Brand Essence ~ Brand Slogan
Bringing the Strategy to Life ~ Community Brand Adoption
In 2006, the Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance (the Alliance) spearheaded an initiative to develop a new destination brand strategy for our community.
It is our hope that the new brand strategy and marketing theme that resulted from that initiative will be embraced and adopted by many of the organizations that promote Fort Wayne/Allen County/Northeast Indiana and all our region has to offer.
The use of a common brand strategy by those many organizations will produce several benefits, both internal and external:
- A brand strategy and message unique to the Fort Wayne area
- More cooperation and teamwork among area marketing organizations
- The reduction or elimination of conflicting messages about the region
- More efficient utilization of the community’s finite funds allocated for marketing of all kinds
- The stability and consistency that comes from long-term implementation of a singular, focused brand message
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During our extensive brand research we discovered four main tenants upon which Fort Wayne should build its brand strategy:
Opportunity: Fort Wayne is pulsing with opportunity; new jobs and business opportunities attract the best and brightest individuals to the community. Fort Wayne has the physical space and ample opportunities for business owners, political hopefuls, community activists and emerging families to achieve their individual dreams.
Independence: The spirit of independence thrives in Fort Wayne. Our history is full of innovators willing to take risks to reach their goals. Fort Wayne provides the resources and support enabling creativity to flourish. To this day, the independent spirit here attracts entrepreneurs to Fort Wayne who cultivate their dreams into successful businesses.
Family: Families are a top priority in Fort Wayne. Residents value family so strongly it dominates the community. The focus on family is prevalent in our top-notch area attractions, our history of family businesses, the success of volunteer programs and the strength of our schools. Fort Wayne provides abundant possibilities for young people to advance their careers and a moderate housing market provides the physical room for a growing family.
Unique Spaces & Places: Visitors are always surprised to find Fort Wayne hosts such high quality attractions, meeting facilities, museums and performing arts. Fort Wayne offers a wide variety of unique spaces and places that appeal to visitors and conventioneers alike. Our outstanding facilities, combined with our famous "Hoosier Hospitality", make planning a trip to Fort Wayne a dream!
Download the Brand Information Brochure (PDF, 265K)
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You have dreams.
We have the room and the resources to enable your dreams to come true.
Room for Dreams
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Now that we have realized the idea that Fort Wayne, Indiana is a city with Room for Dreams, the CVB, the Alliance and other stakeholders that adopt the brand strategy have begun to incorporate it into a new community-wide umbrella branding campaign over the course of the next three years. This umbrella campaign will help maximize the finite resources of all the stakeholders, helping make lasting impressions on target audiences. There is a common artistic design to the campaign’s look, while individual advertisements remain slightly different to shape each one for maximum impact on its intended audience. The campaign is designed to work collectively as well as independently for each of the stakeholders.
View a few of the print ads that were placed throughout neighboring communities as part of the umbrella branding campaign.
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In addition, the CVB and the Alliance have also scheduled some additional activities to assist community organizations with using and adopting the brand.
- Establishing a “Brand Band”: An inclusive, comprehensive group of area marketing professionals willing to shape and adhere to the brand strategy while incorporating it into their marketing activities.
- Brand Adoption Action Plan: Actionable items for businesses to incorporate the brand into their own marketing efforts.
- Brand Pride Program: An internal or localized promotional effort to make the brand strategy a part of the community as a point of pride.
It is our expectation that the new brand strategy and marketing theme that resulted from that initiative will be embraced and adopted by many of the organizations throughout the community who seek to promote Fort Wayne and the ample dreams that await people here.
To date the brand has been used by the CVB, Alliance, Chamber of Commerce, and City of Fort Wayne, as well as by many independent businesses, realtors, and community organizations. To download logos and learn more about how you can incorporate the Room for Dreams brand into your materials, visit our Media Center/Downloads page.
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