Track 2: Improve the Market Jim Townsend, Executive Director Tourism Economic Development Council

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Redevelopment Projects that Get
Media Attention
Jim Townsend
Executive Director
Tourism Economic Development Council

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2 keys to gaining traction with
the media
1. Value Proposition must hit home
with target audience
2. Project must connect to larger
narrative that matters to public

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1. Developing and
communicating the value
proposition
• Redevelopment projects are like any other
product
• Redevelopers should approach their
projects like brand manager or
entrepreneur would
• Successful projects offer value that is
targeted at the right audiences

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Developing the value
proposition
• Target audiences: civic,
governmental, corporate, investor,
end-users
• Identify these audiences and build a
value proposition that they will
respond to

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Strategic branding for
redevelopment projects
Can enable a city or developer to figure
out that value proposition and
communicate it effectively.

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Develop a brand strategy for
your redevelopment
What’s a brand?
A story told in the marketplace

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Why branding can help connect
you with audiences that will care
about your offer
Branding is a strategic process for assessing
your project’s strengths and deciding how to
invest in them and tell the world about them

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How to Brand a Place or
Redevelopment – The Brand Wheel
It’s essentially the same process that is used
for products

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Essence
The business
distilled to its
simplest terms.
Essence: An Example
The Henry Ford: An inspiring American history
destination.

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Positioning
The brand’s
defining point of
difference. The
premise of the
brand story.
Positioning: An Example
Detroit: ”Where Cool Comes From”

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Personality
The brand’s
distinct look, feel
and tone.
Personality: A Summary
Example
Detroit: Vibrant, Urban, Real

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Promise
The single most
compelling
statement of the
brand’s
relevance and
value.
Promise: An Example
Detroit: “Come get caught up on the latest
and leave feeling like you’re in the know”

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Want to learn more?
www.dbrandsummit.com
• Branding basics and
strategies
• D Brand Toolkit

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www.dbrandsummit.com

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2. Connect Your Project with a
Larger Narrative
Branding can be helpful in identifying
where a redevelopment project fits in a
larger context

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Connect Your Project with a
Larger Narrative
Example: Westin Book-Cadillac
•Detroit’s FINALLY tapping its
competitive advantage
•America’s impending re-urbanization

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What about YOUR project?
Connect to a new narrative about
Brownfields:
LOCATION… LOCATION…
LOCATION

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What about YOUR
community?
Connect to a new narrative about older
cities:
LOCATION… LOCATION…
LOCATION

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What about YOUR
community?
Connect to a new narrative about older
cities:
•Energy Independence
•Global Warming
•Solving “urban” issues

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Detroit Metro CVB

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