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Quincy and Adams County Seek Resident Feedback in Survey by June 18

Survey aims to uncover residents’ perceptions of Quincy and Adams County

Quincy and Adams County have launched an intensive branding program aimed to discover, define and design the area’s competitive differentiator so it can stand out in the marketplace. To aid in this effort, residents are encouraged to fill out a short online survey by June 18, 2015, at:

www.brandquincy.com 

To bring outside objectivity to the project, Quincy and Adams County have partnered with Nashville-based North Star Destination Strategies. North Star has helped develop brands for more than 200 cities, regions, communities and municipalities nationwide.

“Over the next several months, using our Community BrandPrint process we’ll be digging out Quincy and Adams County’s competitive identity that is derived from the history, the culture, the geography and the society of a place,” said Don McEachern, CEO of North Star.  “Branding the City of Quincy and Adams County will give community members the tools to effectively manage the conversation that is taking place in order to build a reputation that is fair, honest and powerful.”

The integrated process includes research, strategy and creative development. The first stage is research and comprises about 80% of the work.  “Here we determine the state of your existing brand,” said McEachern.  More than 15 pieces of qualitative and quantitative research will paint a thorough picture of where Quincy and Adams County are today.  This research includes an assessment of the environment; inquiry origin, visitor origin, demographics and psychographics of residents and visitors; perceptions of visitors, residents and stakeholders; and a review of current communications and the competition. The Community Survey is a critical key to understanding the area from the perspective of a resident or business owner. 

Using that research, North Star will develop a brand strategy that is relevant to Quincy and Adams County’s current situation but also differentiates the area to consumers. “We are seeking to capture the essence and value of our community and to develop an effective comprehensive marketing and public relations plan based on this brand,” said Maggie Strong, VP of the Great River Economic Development Foundation.

The final stage of the project will involve the development of a brand identity guide for Quincy and Adams County. “You will get suggestions for a new logo and tagline as part of this guide. But a brand is so much more than that,” said McEachern. “Your community needs to wear this new brand like a second skin. We will provide you the creative tools and ideas to make that happen.” This includes ideas for communications, signage, special events, community outreach, online initiatives, merchandising and more.

“Our identity should appreciate the heritage of the community,” said Strong. “But we also want to represent a robust vision for the future that can be embraced by the entire region.”

 Quincy and Adams County Branding Project Overview

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Have you heard about the Mid-America Intermodal Port?

Established in 1999 by a compact between Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, the 26-county, Mid-America Port Commission was designed to be a catalyst for economic growth in the Tri-States. The developer of the first of six proposed physical Port projects is the Mid-America Intermodal Authority Port District, an Illinois Port located in the South Quincy Development District on the Mississippi River, approximately one mile below Lock and Dam 21 .

But what exactly is the Mid-America Intermodal Port? Let’s break it down:

Mid-America: The middle of America, a physical location that aligns with global business strategies and offers major market proximity.

Intermodal: The movement of freight by two or more modes of transportation. This port will have the ability to ship, receive or transload between truck, rail and barge at the South Quincy site and between truck and air at the regional airports.

Inland Port: A rail or a barge terminal that is linked by rail or inland waterway to a seaport with regular inland transport services.

Why should we care?

The total project cost is estimated at $70 to $80 million. That’s a huge investment for our region and translates into hundreds of jobs during the construction phase. Long-term, the Port will make the South Quincy Development District an ideal logistics location with more than 1,500 develop-able acres adjacent to the proposed Port location.

A number of companies currently located near the Port site have indicated the new Port facilities would drive significant capital investment and job creation adjacent to the new Port.

Promotion of the Mid-America Port development opportunities to prospective businesses and site consultants (such as this new brochure developed by GREDF) could lead to millions of dollars in investments by companies looking for a physical location that aligns with their global business strategies. The primary purpose and major benefit of the Port is to give regional businesses access to lower cost and best modes of transportation to help them stay globally competitive and keep jobs here.

In the works:

Over the past several weeks, Port and economic development officials have met one-on-one with a number of key officials, including; Paul “Chip” Jaenichen, Administrator, U.S. Maritime Administration; William Paape, Director, Gateway Inland Waterways, MARAD; Governor Bruce Rauner; Jim Schultz, Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; Randy Blankenhorn, Secretary, Illinois Department of Transportation; and Wayne Rosenthal, Director, Illinois Department of Natural Resources to share this status update:

• The project has been selected as part of the USDOT Build America Transportation Investment Center Program, a fast-track project program providing technical assistance on permitting, public/private partnership structure, funding and other requirements.
• A $1.3 million grant from DCEO for permitting, design and engineering has been approved.
• The U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) has requested and received regular updates on the status of the project.
• The Port District and a local engineering firm are preparing the TIGER application.

The Bottom Line:

The Mid-America Intermodal Port has the potential to pay huge dividends for decades to come, maintaining and improving the economic vitality and quality of life of the entire tri-state region.

Click here to see the newest marketing piece for the Mid-America Intermodal Port. Want to know more? Contact us at 217.223.4313.