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The new Quincy/Adams County community brand – Right on Q – was unveiled during a public announcement following the Great River Economic Development Foundation Annual Meeting on January 13, 2016, at the Oakley-Lindsay Center in Quincy.

The brand tag line is Right on Q and the logo mark is a distinct Q shape that represents various aspects of the Quincy and Adams County region. The announcement featured a narrative video and presentation that included ways the new brand will be implemented. The brand was developed by North Star Destination Strategies.

“Every community has a brand reputation or identity… what people say about them when they’re not around,” said Abby Biswell, a Quincy Senior High School junior and one of the presenters of the evening. “More than a year ago, nine community organizations decided to work together to propel the image of our community forward. These organizations formed the Brand Quincy/Adams County Partnership with the purpose of developing a cohesive, distinct and memorable brand,” Biswell added.

Members of the Brand Quincy/Adams County Partnership include:

City of Quincy
Adams County
Arts Quincy
The District
Great River Economic Development Foundation
Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce
Quincy Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
Quincy Park District
Oakley-Lindsay Center 

The brand narrative captures the essence of the community. “Quincy and Adams County is the kind of place where going the extra mile in everything is an everyday thing. When people need a hand, or visitors need a welcome, Quincyans seem to be there, Right on Q.”

The logo represents different aspects of Quincy and Adams County depending on the viewer. Some people may see a cross section of corn representing the region’s agricultural history, the gears of a Hollister-Whitney elevator, a Knapheide wagon wheel or a Titan wheel. Or perhaps the viewer sees the spokes of the Golden Windmill or a paddleboat wheel in the Mississippi River. Others may see the keystone detail found in some of the beautiful architecture in our historic districts. And of course, the Q, which is a distinct and unique letter in and of itself is prominent.

The website, www.QuincyRightonQ.com features the narrative video, links to social media and the ability to download the design files and graphics standards guide. The site also offers the opportunity for individuals and organizations to electronically sign the Brand Charter to show support for the new brand.

The members of the Brand Quincy/Adams County Partnership have already begun implementing the new brand into their marketing and public relations efforts and businesses and organizations are invited to do the same. A volunteer Brand Implementation Team (BIT) has been formed to lead the ongoing implementation of a strategic action and communications plan and ensure the brand gains traction and maintains momentum.

Former Mayor Chuck Scholz gave the evening’s final remarks, reiterating what the brand can do for our community. “What I like so much about this brand is that it not only testifies to all that is good… all that is great about our community. This brand challenges us to be better. Because we now we can be better. It’s our heritage after all,” Scholz said.

Scholz ended the night by repeating the finals lines of the brand narrative:

“We know Quincy and Adams County best by heart. A heart for caring and the common good. A heart that leads people to give, for as long as it takes. A heart that goes the extra mile to welcome you, support you, and encourage you.

That’s not just our promise. It’s our heritage. Quincy, in Adams County, Illinois… Right on Q.”

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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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Representatives from North Star Destination Strategies, the company hired by a team of key stakeholders representing organizations within the City of Quincy and Adams County to develop a marketing brand for the City and County, will hold a Public Meeting this week in Quincy.

Community Branding PUBLIC MEETING
Tuesday, April 28
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm 
Quincy Public Library
526 Jersey Street

North Star representatives will give a brief presentation and hold a Q&A session so that the general public may learn more about the community branding process and offer feedback.

14 months ago, the Quincy and Adams County Community Branding Team was formed with the purpose of 1) establishing a marketable and recognizable brand which captures the essence and value of the community, and 2) developing an effective comprehensive marketing and public relations campaign based on this brand.

Members of the Community Branding Team include:

• Adams County – Rick Gengenbacher and Mike McLaughlin
• City of Quincy – Mayor Kyle Moore and Chuck Bevelheimer
• Great River Economic Development Foundation – Marcel Wagner and Maggie Strong
• Oakley-Lindsay Center – Rob Ebbing
• Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce – Amy Looten
• Quincy Area Convention and Visitors Bureau – Lori Tuttle
• Quincy Park District – Rome Frericks
• Quincy Society of Fine Arts – Lenny Bart
• The District – Bruce Guthrie

Over the past year, the team developed a request for proposal, received 11 competitive responses, interviewed two finalists, raised the necessary funds for the project and entered into a partnership with North Star Destination Strategies, Inc.

“We have been impressed with North Star’s approach to the branding process because of how it combines research, strategy, creativity, action and education,” says Maggie Strong, a member of the Branding Team and Vice President of the Great River Economic Development Foundation. “The success of this process will be a direct result of pulling everyone together to speak in one voice.”

The public meeting is part of North Star’s 4-day in-market trip that will also include community tours, one-on-one stakeholder meetings and focus groups. The results of this visit and the additional qualitative and quantitative research conducted by North Star will help determine the brand “story” of Quincy and Adams County.

North Star representatives will be available to speak with the media immediately following the public meeting. Please contact Maggie Strong at maggies@gredf.org or 217.257.0721, for more details.