city branding kickoff - fredericksburgva.com

City Branding Kickoff

Fredericksburg

Hi! We’re

We’re a branding & strategy team from Portland, Oregon.

HUB likes to start each project with a series of working sessions to gain a foundational

understanding of the project and its parameters, requirements, and aspirations.

What do we want to accomplish?

Brand Goals

Further establish the city as:

- an employment epicenter

- home to a thriving cultural scene

- a great place to live, work, play, and raise a family

Brand Goals

Further establish the city as:

- an employment epicenter

- home to a thriving cultural scene

- a great place to live, work, play, and raise a family

Kickoff Goals

Refine our understanding and approach to the project by:

- experiencing the city

- learning about the city; talking to people

- discussing and identifying opportunities and obstacles

- identifying competitors

- understanding current business and resident brand perception

- discussing current and aspirational target audiences

Let 's get started

Fredericksburg

FACTS & STATS

LOCATION: 10.5 square miles in northern Virginia, equidistant from D.C. and Richmond

NOTABLE FEATURES: Historic downtown, Civil War battlefields, Rappahannock River

POPULATION: 27,853

MEDIAN AGE: 29.5

GROUND TRANSPORTATION: I-95, US-1, US-17, Amtrak & VRE

AIRPORTS: Stafford Regional, Shannon Airport, Reagan National, Dulles, Richmond, BWI

ECONOMY: US DoD, Geico, FBI, Mary Washington Healthcare, UMW, county government

SUMMARYFredericksburg boasts a rich and lengthy history reflected in the built environment of its downtown. The town's opportune location halfway between Richmond and D.C. (with I-95 providing direct access to both) make it a prime commuter community. It is one of the fastest growing cities in Virginia. With a surprisingly young and highly educated population and a strong local and artisan business environment, the city offers plenty for those looking to escape the expense of larger cities and the monotony of suburbia.

Past, Present, Future

How do you want to get there?

Goals for growth and change

How is the city naturally transforming for the better? For worse?

What will require real effort to realize?

What do you want to keep or maintain?

Goals for growth and change

Target Audience

Why do people move?

20th Century

People moved for a job or to be close to family.

20th Century

People moved for a job or to be close to family.

21st Century

People move to places providing the best quality of life.

20th Century

People moved for a job or to be close to family.

People followed business. Business follows people.

21st Century

People move to places providing the best quality of life.

Graves, Lucia. (2018, July). "Welcome to suburbia: the millennials done with city life - and city prices." The Guardian, retrieved from the guardian.com

Frey, William. (2018, May). "Early decade big city growth continues to fall off, census shows." Brookings, retrieved from brookings.edu

climate, commute time,

health care, community of peers,

socially conscious and creative environments

authentic living

21st Century

People move to places providing the best quality of life.

IESE Business School. (2013, Sep.). "Quality of Life: Everyone wants it, but what is it?" Forbes, retrieved from the forbes.com

climate, commute time,

health care, community of peers,

socially conscious and creative environments

authentic living..............where do you find it?

city suburb exurbindependent city/rural

D.C.

Baltimore

city suburb exurbindependent city/rural

D.C.

AlexandriaAnnandale

Arlington

Bethesda

Hyattsville

Silver Spring

Baltimore

city suburb exurbindependent city/rural

D.C.

AlexandriaAnnandale

Manassas

Centreville

Reston

Gaithersburg

Rockville

Dale City

St CharlesWoodbridge

Waldorf

Bowie

Arlington

Bethesda

College Park

Hyattsville

Silver Spring

Baltimore

city suburb exurbindependent city/rural

D.C.

Fredericksburg

AlexandriaAnnandale

Manassas

Centreville

Reston

LeesburgGaithersburg

Rockville

Warrenton

Culpeper

Dale City

St CharlesWoodbridge

Waldorf

Bowie

Arlington

Bethesda

College Park

Columbia

Hyattsville

Silver Spring

Baltimore

Annapolis

Frederick

Hagerstown

What does Fredericksburg offer to someone prioritizing where they live by quality of life?

Are there any areas that need work?

In what ways can Fredericksburg compete with suburbs that are closer to D.C.?

Quality of life

Your brand should reflect and set up the experience of your city.

Every non-local first experiences Fredericksburg as a visitor.

Visitor

culturewelcomingdiverse activitiesdiverse amenitieswalkability

sense of place

Visitor

culturewelcomingdiverse activitiesdiverse amenitieswalkability

sense of place

Resident

affordableaccessiblejob opportunitiesquality health carequality education

identity

Who's nearby?

Comparables

Hagerstown, MD

FACTS & STATS

LOCATION: 12.2 square miles near the borders of Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, equidistant from Washington, Baltimore, and Harrisburg

NOTABLE FEATURES: Historic downtown, Civil War history, Appalachian Mountains

POPULATION: 40,325

MEDIAN AGE: 34.2

GROUND TRANSPORTATION: I-70, I-81, US-40, US-11

AIRPORTS: Hagerstown Regional, Dulles, Harrisburg

ECONOMY: Public schools, Meritus Medical, Citi, First Data, county government, VolvoHagerstown, Maryland

Annapolis, MD

FACTS & STATS

LOCATION: 8.1 square miles on the Chesapeake Bay, equidistant from D.C. and Baltimore

NOTABLE FEATURES: Historic downtown, naval academy, harbor on the Chesapeake

POPULATION: 39,009

MEDIAN AGE: 37.6

GROUND TRANSPORTATION: I-97, US-50

AIRPORTS: Bay Bridge Airport, Lee Airport, BWI

ECONOMY: state government, county government, U.S. Naval Academy, Northrup Grumman

Annapolis, Maryland

Who's doing a good job?

Comparables

Providence, RI

FACTS & STATS

LOCATION: 20.7 square miles in southern New England, 50 miles from Boston

NOTABLE FEATURES: Historic downtown, Narragansett Bay, Brown University

POPULATION: 178,851

MEDIAN AGE: 29.4

GROUND TRANSPORTATION: I-95, I-93, US-1, US-6, Amtrak

AIRPORTS: Providence Airport, North Central State Airport

ECONOMY: Roger Williams Medical, Hasbro Children's, Brown U., Citizen's Financial

Providence, Rhode Island

Welcome to Providence, Rhode Island! Providence combines the accessibility and friendliness of a small town with the culture and sophistication of a big city. With a thriving arts community, vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, outstanding hotels, a renowned restaurant scene and so many things to do, Providence is the perfect place to visit.

Charleston, SC

FACTS & STATS

LOCATION: 127.5 square miles in the coastal South, 110 miles from Savannah

NOTABLE FEATURES: Historic downtown, Civil War sites, Atlantic beaches

POPULATION: 129,888

MEDIAN AGE: 34

GROUND TRANSPORTATION: I-26, US-17, US-176, Amtrak

AIRPORTS: Charleston International, Charleston Executive, Mt Pleasant Regional

ECONOMY: JB Charleston, MUSC, Boeing, Public schools, Roper St. Francis Healthcare

Charleston, South Carolina

Portland, ME

FACTS & STATS

LOCATION: 69.4 square miles in coastal New England, 100 miles from Boston

NOTABLE FEATURES: Historic downtown, Atlantic coastline

POPULATION: 66,649

MEDIAN AGE: 36

GROUND TRANSPORTATION: I-95, US-1, US-302, Amtrak

AIRPORTS: Portland International, Manchester-Boston Regional, Boston Logan

ECONOMY: TD Banknorth, Maine Medical, Unum Life Insurance, City, Public schools

Portland, Maine

What else?

Thank You!