You can help build the Akron area’s brand, defining what makes Akron special.
The Greater Akron Chamber has hired a Nashville-headquartered company that specializes in city branding to help it define Akron’s “competitive differentiator.”
North Star Destination Strategies, which has helped develop community brands for more than 200 communities, will do a host of research, including a community-wide survey that is expected to be online sometime in July.
“We want to hear from everyone, as many people as possible, about what their perspectives are, what they the strengths of Akron are,” said Rebecca Guzy Woodford, senior vice president at the chamber.
The goal of the effort is to “create a common understanding about what makes our community unique and different ... to tell the story about our region to help us attract and retain business and talent,” said Donzell Taylor, chairman of the board of directors for the Greater Akron Chamber.
Joseph Kanfer, chairman and CEO of GOJO Industries, the Akron-headquartered maker of Purell hand sanitizer and other hygiene products, is leading the branding effort for the chamber. Kanfer is vice chair of the chamber’s executive committee.
The idea, Taylor said, is not to attempt to sell the area to everyone, but to market it to those who might like what it has to offer.
This week, North Star staff members were in the area to take a tour — one of the first stops was the original Strickland’s ice cream stand in view of the imposing Akron Airdock — and conduct focus groups. They also met one-on-one with community, business and government leaders.
The tour also included a drive-by or a stop at the new Goodyear global headquarters; Derby Downs (the Soap Box Derby track), Akron’s Sherbondy Hill neighborhood that includes Spring Hill Apartments, better known as the neighborhood where LeBron James grew up; the John Brown House, where the famous abolitionist lived for a time in the 1840s; and the Akron Global Business Accelerator, the downtown business incubator in the old B.F. Goodrich factory complex.
Survey time
This week, surveys are being emailed to 400 individuals, including business and community leaders.
Part of the research will involve reviewing current communications and branding efforts, as well as a look at what competing cities are doing when it comes to branding.
Taylor, CEO at Fairlawn-headquartered Welty Building Co., and Guzy stressed that Greater Akron’s brand is about a lot more than a logo or a tagline, though North Star has created those for communities across the country, including Ohio’s Miami County and the Columbus suburb of Dublin.
The chamber has contracted with North Star for the research, though many chamber members and community leaders have expressed interest in seeing a logo and tagline, Guzy said. It’s possible the chamber may look to another company for this creative work.
Taylor anticipates the research being used to develop myriad marketing tools for the area.
“Our brand is our reputation ... our bragging rights ... what makes Greater Akron different and special,” the Greater Akron Chamber says on a website created for the project: www.whatmakesgreaterakrongreat.com.
People can go to the website to sign up to take the community-wide survey and sign up to a “brand ambassador” to receive updates on the project. Those who sign up are asked what is the first word or phrase that comes to mind when they think of Greater Akron.
Those going to the website also are encouraged to post stories and pictures about their Akron experience on Instagram at #SharingGreaterAkron . Pictures might be used in a social media campaign associated with the rollout of the new brand, according to the website.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. You can follow her @KatieByardABJ on Twitter or on Facebook at www.facebook.com.