This survey of 86 Mount Pleasant residents provided insights into how the town should develop its brand identity: - Residents value Mount Pleasant's small town feel and tight-knit community above all else. Any brand identity and promotion must emphasize these defining characteristics. - When asked how the town can grow while honoring tradition, residents focused on improving buildings and tailoring businesses to residents' needs rather than large-scale changes. - Top desired new businesses were restaurants and grocery stores, matching an analysis finding opportunities to recapture retail dollars. Residents expressed openness to carefully managed growth.

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Mount Pleasant Downtown
Revitalization Project
Community Branding Survey

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Created: June 27, 2016
86
Total Responses
Closed: July 14, 2016
Disclaimer: Due to budget, this survey was conducted on an open-to-the-public platform on an opt-in basis and is therefore not statistically
significant / representative of all residents of the City of Mt. Pleasant. Data reflected herein is intended for general directional guidance /
input only.

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Q1: Why is Mount Pleasant special to you?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0

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Q1: Why is Mount Pleasant special to you?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0
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Q1: Why is Mount Pleasant special to you?
Observations
 To residents, who Mount Pleasant is carries more weight than what it is.
 Any promotion of the town must emphasize its essential character – small, tight-knit,
friendly, tradition-rich.
 Ultimately, residents are very high on Mount Pleasant’s feel. Its ambience can be a
key element of its brand personality.

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Q2: What favorable aspects of the community should Mount Pleasant
highlight in its new brand?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0

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Q2: What favorable aspects of the community should Mount Pleasant
highlight in its new brand?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0
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Q2: What favorable aspects of the community should Mount Pleasant
highlight in its new brand?
Observations
 Residents are extremely conscious of the town’s history and eager to include it in the
brand.
 Once again, responses highlighted Mount Pleasant’s character more than its activities or
assets.
 While economy, business community and activities ranked low, that prioritization level
reveals a chance for growth; residents don’t view those things as strengths of the town
now, but there is an opportunity (and desire) to improve that perception.

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Q3: How can Mount Pleasant grow into the future in ways that honors its
tradition and keep its identity strong?
Answered: 53
Skipped: 33
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Q3: How can Mount Pleasant grow into the future in ways that honor its
tradition and keep its identity strong?
Answered: 53
Skipped: 33
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Honor veterans
Improve safety
Control growth
Attract residents / visitors
Strengthen leadership and cooperation
Recreation / activities
Improve schools
Emphasize and promote history
Businesses tailored to resident/worker needs
Preservation / revitalization of buildings
Ways to Grow / Preserve Mount Pleasant
% of Respondents

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Q3: How can Mount Pleasant grow into the future in ways that honor its
tradition and keep its identity strong?
Observations
 The town’s most valued growth opportunities are building improvement and
proliferation of area businesses, two goals that align with the initial goals of the
downtown revitalization plan.
 While the town listed history as a top asset to showcase in Q2, residents appear to be
interested in living history rather than static history – they want their town to resemble
the way it was during its golden area, rather than to merely showcase its history.
 Residents did not indicate much fear of growth – they appear willing to expand in ways
that benefit residents and maintain Mount Pleasant’s small-town feel.

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Q4: What are aspects of Mount Pleasant living that you don’t want to see
change?
Answered: 57
Skipped: 29
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Q4: What are aspects of Mount Pleasant living that you don’t want to see
change?
Answered: 57
Skipped: 29
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Low crime
Low prices
Community activities
Commitment to youth / education
Historic identity
Look and feel of downtown
Small-town character / tight-knit
community
Aspects You Don't Want to See Change
% of Respondents

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Q4: What are aspects of Mount Pleasant living that you don’t want to see
change?
Observations
 More than three-fourths of respondents touched on some aspect of the town’s small-
town personality and feel. It’s clear that this is massively important to residents, who
take ownership of their community’s tight-knit nature and want to maintain it.
 Others touched on the town’s commitment to its history and education. Several
responses touched on nourishing the town’s youth.
 Mount Pleasant’s tradition-rich events and activities were important to multiple
residents. As the town looks for ways to engage its citizens and attract visitors, it would
do well to leverage those events.

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Q5: As Mount Pleasant Grows, what types of businesses are you most interested in
seeing come to the town? (Please rank 1-10, with 1 being your top choice)
Answered: 85
Skipped: 1

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Q5: As Mount Pleasant Grows, what types of businesses are you most interested in
seeing come to the town? (Please rank 1-10, with 1 being your top choice)
Answered: 85
Skipped: 1
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Q5: As Mount Pleasant Grows, what types of businesses are you most interested in
seeing come to the town? (Please rank 1-10, with 1 being your top choice)
Answered: 85
Skipped: 1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Sporting goods store
Hardware store
Hotel / motel
Brewery / distillery / bar
Health / wellness facility
General store
Clothing store
Coffee shop
Grocery store
Restaurant
What types of businesses are you most
interested in seeing come to the town?
Rating Average

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Q5: As Mount Pleasant Grows, what types of businesses are you most interested in
seeing come to the town? (Please rank 1-10, with 1 being your top choice)
Answered: 85
Skipped: 1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1st choice
2nd choice
3rd choice

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Q5: As Mount Pleasant Grows, what types of businesses are you most interested in
seeing come to the town? (Please rank 1-10, with 1 being your top choice)
Observations
 The top two choices – restaurants and grocery stores – reflect the recapture
opportunities reflected in the Moriarty report ($1.2 million for restaurants, $580,000 for
grocery stores). Stated demand matches statistically indicated need.
 Clothing stores, the fourth choice, are also a major source of leakage -- $1.2 million.
 It’s interesting, but not altogether surprising, that hotels/motels and sporting goods
stores are low on the list. The former appeal more to visitors than residents, and the
latter is a niche offering. There is still over $413,000 in recapture opportunities for
sporting goods.

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Q6: What color(s) would you like to see associated with Mount Pleasant’s
brand?
Answered: 63
Skipped: 23
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Q6: What color(s) would you like to see associated with Mount Pleasant’s
brand?
Answered: 63
Skipped: 23
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Neutral/dark colors
Orange
Bright colors
Green
Red/white/blue
What colors should represent the brand?
% of Respondents

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Q6: What color(s) would you like to see associated with Mount Pleasant’s
brand?
Observations
 Mount Pleasant Tiger red and blue is the overwhelming choice among residents. Some
suggested the use of navy rather than the lighter MPHS shade.
 Green was the second most popular color and could be incorporated into some creative
assets, but red and blue won by a large margin.

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Q7: What words do you use to describe Mount Pleasant to those who don’t
live here?
Answered: 64
Skipped: 22 →
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Q7: What words do you use to describe Mount Pleasant to those who don’t
live here?
Answered: 64
Skipped: 22
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Creative / artsy
Safe
Escape / secret
Mayberry
Quiet / calm
Boring / struggling
Home / our town
Quaint
Friendly / caring / family
Small / charming
Words to describe Mount Pleasant
% of Responses

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Q7: What words do you use to describe Mount Pleasant to those who don’t
live here?
Observations
 Unsurprisingly, descriptions of Mount Pleasant’s small-town, friendly culture dominated
the response list. “Charm” is a word that appeared more than one might have expected,
and is an effective way to blend “country” with “class.”
 There was a significant sense of ownership in these answers – “home,” “our town,” “my
town.” Residents have deep pride in this place, even as several acknowledged the town’s
struggles in their answers.

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Q8: In what area does Mount Pleasant most need to grow stronger?
Answered: 85
Skipped: 1

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Q8: In what area does Mount Pleasant most need to grow stronger?
Answered: 85
Skipped: 1
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Q8: In what area does Mount Pleasant most need to grow stronger?
Observations
 The leading answers all hit on the same theme – the need for economic growth that can
fuel an increase in activities, businesses and jobs.
 The large “other” category primarily touched on recreational activities, opportunities for
youth and more unified city leadership.
 It’s safe to say residents are primed for growth. They desire progress more than they fear
change, although most would like to enjoy improvements while holding closely to the
town’s fundamental character.

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Q9: If there were a picture that you could choose to best depict Mount
Pleasant as a desirable place to go, what would that picture be?
Answered: 85
Skipped: 1

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Q9: If there were a picture that you could choose to best depict Mount
Pleasant as a desirable place to go, what would that picture be?
Answered: 85
Skipped: 1
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Q9: If there were a picture that you could choose to best depict Mount
Pleasant as a desirable place to go, what would that picture be?
Observations
 This was a pretty mixed response with no dominant top choices, which leaves the door
open for messaging that likely looks best to outside audiences (those who don’t yet live
in Mt. Pleasant or haven’t visited but who should include Mt. Pleasant in their
consideration set), rather than satisfying strong current-resident interest.
 It is, however, interesting that historic houses topped the list. It could be quite effective
to showcase houses in the imagery, since they embody the kind of historic charm
residents want to see expressed in the brand.

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Q10: What is your gender?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0
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Q11: Do you live in Mount Pleasant?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0
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Q12: Do you work in Mount Pleasant?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0
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Q13: What is your age?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0

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Q13: What is your age?
Answered: 86
Skipped: 0
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