Table Of Content

Strategic Branding, Development and Marketing Plan Porter County, Indiana March, 2010 Table of Contents Introduction and Scope of Work ..........................................................................6 Brand Promise ............................................................................................9 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats ..........................................................13 Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 County-wide Recommendations ........................................................................29 #1: The Brand Leadership Team ....................................................................30 #2: PCCRVC organization ..........................................................................31 #3: Redevelopment of the Expo Center ............................................................33 #4: County-wide Wayfinding System ...............................................................39 #5: Position the dunes as “world class” ..............................................................56 #6: Brand identity and Style Guide .................................................................59 #7: Focus on “South of the Dunes” ..................................................................61 #8: County-wide website ..........................................................................63 #9: Best of the Indiana Dunes guide ................................................................82 #10: Voluntourism program ........................................................................86 #11: Indiana Dunes Activities Guide ................................................................88 #12: Professional photography and video ..........................................................93 #13: Golf course marketing partnership ............................................................94 #14: Visitor info at South Shore rail stops ...........................................................95 #15: Photo links and info on Google Earth ..........................................................97 #16: Billboard marketing promoting anchor businesses ............................................99 #17: Brand building posters and bookmarks ......................................................101 #18: Niche guides and direct marketing program .................................................104 #19: Shift away from traditional marketing ........................................................106 #20: Geocaching .................................................................................108 #21: Transportation links ..........................................................................110 #22: Technology: ShowStreet & PlayStreet .........................................................112 #23: Marketing materials continuity ...............................................................115 #24: The Hidden Gems of the Indiana Dunes ......................................................116 #25: Develop tech-based travel applications ......................................................118 #26: Partner with Google on biking routes ........................................................120 #27: Consider National Scenic Byway .............................................................121 2 Porter County, Indiana - March 2010 Table of Contents County-wide Recommendation Summary Checklist ....................................................122 Community Initiatives Burns Harbor .....................................................................................123 Hebron ...........................................................................................133 Kouts .............................................................................................141 Chesterton .......................................................................................151 Pines .............................................................................................163 Porter ............................................................................................169 Portage ..........................................................................................177 Valparaiso ........................................................................................187 Supplemental Information ..............................................................................199 The Downtown Idea Book ........................................................................200 Sample ordinances: - Sidewalk cafes ................................................................................232 - Street performers and vendors ...............................................................236 - Signage design review board .................................................................239 - Facade guidelines and procedures ............................................................242 Developing Critical Mass - Recruiting and rearranging businesses .................................244 Downtown Wi-Fi zones ...........................................................................246 Demographics & tapestry reports: - Chicago metro area (50 mile radius) ..........................................................249 - Indianapolis (5 mile radius from city center) ...................................................258 - Cincinnati (5 mile radius from city center) .....................................................267 - Valparaiso (25 mile radius from city center) ....................................................275 Case histories: - Stevenson, Washington (small town). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278 - Centralia, Washington ........................................................................281 - Pearl District in Portland, Oregon .............................................................282 Porter County interview summaries ...............................................................283 Public input during charrette process .............................................................283 Review of previous plans and studies .............................................................293 Hotel Tax Study Reveals Economic Value of Visitors to Local Communities .........................310 Contact information ....................................................................................314 Porter County, Indiana - March 2010 3 4 Porter County, Indiana - March 2010 Introduction & Scope of Work Porter County, Indiana - March 2010 5 Introduction and Scope of Work Introduction and Scope of Work Less than an hour drive from Chicago, Porter County in turn, creates more jobs and provides more activities DDI to build on that foundation by developing a plan provides a wealth of recreational opportunities, and resources for both visitors and residents, building for tourism development and marketing designed to an emphasis on quality of life, and a pleasant and a better quality of life. increase visitor spending in the county, by producing convenient location to raise a family. The region offers a County-wide Strategic Branding, Development and As a result, the Porter County Convention, Recreation varied terrain and a diversity of attractions - to the Marketing Plan. and Visitor Commission contracted with Destination south are fields of corn and soybeans, in the center is Development, Inc. (DDI) to perform a County-wide Branding is the process of setting the county apart Valparaiso with its more urban feel and to the north is Assessment in June of 2008. The assessment provided from every other region. The county’s brand is far more Lake Michigan and the spectacular Indiana Dunes. an objective look at many different elements: than a logo and slogan; it is the perception in people’s Often considered the crown jewel of Lake Michigan, attractions, amenities, wayfinding and ease of getting minds about what that county represents and what the dunes are one of the Midwest’s greatest assets and around, shopping options and critical mass, gateways, kind of experience they will have when visiting. A offer a wealth of experiences: hiking over spectacular beautification and ambiance, and things to see and brand is a promise. Logos and slogans are simply the sand dunes; detecting the diversity of wildlife; touring do. The assessment was produced in these three parts: marketing message to get the word out about what historical sites; and soaking up the sun, surf, and sand the county’s promise is. at outstanding fresh water beaches. This amazing work Distance Marketing Assessment of nature is complemented by the distinctive towns Branding a community can be broken down into Three secret shoppers planned a trip to the area and communities nearby which round out the visitor’s three steps: to look at the marketing effort, including websites, experience, each unique in ambience: an eclectic arts brochures, guides, and other marketing materials First, determining what sets the county apart from the culture, some of the best dining in the state, fabulous competition. What does Porter County have to offer? entertainment and delightful shopping. On-site Assessment What are its greatest lures? What does it have that can be the foundation for building into a strong brand? Although nearly three million people visit the Indiana During a multi-day visit, DDI looked at Porter County’s What is the most feasible brand idea? How can the Dunes each year, due to distance and lack of unique attractions and amenities, signage, wayfinding, overall different communities benefit from that brand? What tourist attractions between communities and retail appeal, downtowns, visitor information, operating sets each of them apart from each other and from the areas, many of these visitors only spend the day, and hours, beautification, business mix, and branding competition? few of them travel south to spend time and money in focus. the communities of Porter County. Second, determining what product development Assessment Workshop projects should be undertaken to bring the brand to The Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission and the Porter County Economic DDI presented two three-hour workshops in the life and attract visitors. What attractions or activities Alliance saw a greater opportunity for attracting county showcasing the findings of the assessment can be developed in each community to create a more visitors into the county, as well as the need to processes, then followed up with written reports. strong sense of place and bring in those visitors? draw those visitors into the communities to increase After the assessment process was complete, the Third, developing the marketing plan that will identify tourism spending. This would help spur economic PCCRVC, in partnership with the PCEA, contracted with and reach Porter County’s target markets and tell the development and increase economic diversity which, 6 Porter County, Indiana - March 2010 Introduction and Scope of Work world about the communities and the brand. • Presented a public workshop on the “Art of Branding a Community” and solicited public input. In order to achieve the objectives of developing a brand for Porter County to increase visitor spending, Day Two: Destination Development, Inc. performed the • DDI team meeting to discuss findings following scope of work: • Comparative and competitive analysis Meetings with Local Stakeholders • Meetings with primary stakeholders at Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center, Holiday Inn Express in DDI met with stakeholders who will play a role in Portage, and at the studio the effort, learning more about local concerns, direction, opportunities, organizations, and businesses. • One-on-one interviews with stakeholders at the Representatives from each of the communities were Chamber of Commerce office met with, as well as county-wide stakeholders. • Concept development and research Establishment of an introductory “Brand Development • Synthesized local input and research, Committee” or steering committee to be DDI’s partner brainstorming in the plan development process. Day Three: Community Branding Forum Charrette • Additional research, discussion among team to narrow the field of ideas Five members of DDI’s staff spent a week and a half in an open work-studio setting for the purpose of • Open House at Holiday Inn Express in Portage for intense research, community outreach for education, community input and feedback input and feedback, brainstorming, and analysis. The • Open House at Studio in Valparaiso for community schedule was as follows: input and feedback • Site visits and review throughout the county Day One: • Synthesis of feedback and research • Studio set up, idea tour, retail analysis, brand options, comparative analysis. Day Four: • Meeting with the “Porter County Team” – the local • Site visits throughout the county steering committee. • Synthesis of feedback • Preparation for public meeting • Press Conference Porter County, Indiana - March 2010 7 Introduction and Scope of Work Day Five: Brand Identification and those ideas refined, including more general product development recommendations not directly • Stakeholder interviews at the Dorothy Buell During the Charrette process, the research, associated with the brand, but that will contribute Memorial Visitor Center and Portage reviews, community input, on-site evaluations, and to the ambiance and amenities that make a town brainstorming culminated in the identification of the • Feasibility testing and concept development attractive, pleasant, and desirable to visit and spend county’s and each city or town’s most feasible brand • Synthesis of research time in. direction. • Stakeholder interviews at Chamber offices Every branding effort requires product development, Marketing Recommendations • DDI team meeting so we looked for brand ideas that would leverage DDI then developed recommendations for marketing current assets. Each promising brand concept – each Day Six: Porter County, getting the word out about all that the suggestion received from members of the community region has to offer, and how to pull visitors from the • Brand development: research, team meetings was tested. dunes and into the communities. Graphic concepts, Day Seven: The brand concepts were further refined, and a tag lines and marketing messages, as well as Internet • DDI team meeting brand visioning statement was developed. The recommendations and advertising possibilities were recommendations were discussed and researched, addressed. • Meeting with Porter County Team and the draft plan produced. • Concept revisions and presentation development Strategic Branding, Tourism Development and • Meeting preparations Product Development Recommendations Marketing Plan • Public meeting and presentation at the Expo Brands are successful when visitors and residents This scope of work has resulted in the Strategic Center experience the brand promise throughout the Branding, Development and Marketing Plan for Porter community, and take away the perception that the County, a series of inter-related recommendations Day Eight: experience is all they expected it would be. Those and initiatives designed to increase visitor spending • Meeting with Porter County Team; development of experiences depend on what “product” visitors and and promote healthy economic diversity. next steps residents find: Niche shopping? Dining options? What During development of this plan, the PCCRVC began does the city look like? What is the ambiance? Is there • DDI team wrap-up implementation of some of the recommendations plenty to do? described herein; therefore, several initiatives are The “product” must deliver the brand’s promise. DDI already in process. looked at each community’s existing assets, and looked into how they could be further developed to help deliver the brand promise and how they could enhance visitor attraction and spending. Research into additional product ideas was done 8 Porter County, Indiana - March 2010 Brand Promise Porter County, Indiana - March 2010 9 Brand Promise The Brand Promise Concept Branding is a perception people have of you, your business or your product. It’s also a promise that you are what people perceive of you. In that regard, you must deliver on the promise. When people mention Porter County, one of your communities, or the Indiana Dunes, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? What are their perceptions? What is the feeling they have when they hear the name of the county or one of the communities? The branding portion of the Porter County Plan is built around creating a unique and truthful view of the county; unique so that it stands out among Midwest destinations, and truthful in delivering on the brand promise. The recommendations in this plan have been carefully developed to reinforce the primary brand message and outline the tasks needed to deliver on that message. It’s important to note that a brand must be earned. You never “roll out” a brand, because you must be able to deliver on the promise first. This “brand promise” is the identity we hope Porter County will earn over the next five to seven years as this plan is implemented. 10 Porter County, Indiana - March 2010