![The Urban Design Project : Queen City Hub Plan [header images/logo]](../../../images/headerHub.jpg)
Principle: Image Downtown
It will be a great Downtown when...
- the mention of Downtown elicits the response "I love Downtown!"
- accurate, objective reporting clearly identifies Downtown as a prosperous, clean, safe, friendly place to live, work and play.
- Downtown is for everyone and that diversity is understood as essential to economic vitality and quality of life.
The work plan goals is to create an image of Downtown consistent with the vision of The Queen City Hub plan. Downtown Buffalo should be understood to be a clean, safe, friendly place in which it is great to live, work and play. The strategies include coordinating marketing activities, celebrating current success and promoting realistic potential. The strategies also include programming to educate media, community based organizations, and businesses on Downtown’s role in the region and in the city.
Image Downtown: Context
Problem Statement
Downtown has a negative public image that is no longer an accurate reflection of its health and potential. The reality is that Downtown remains the economic core and cultural heart of the region. Yet perceptions of crime, the high cost of parking, and the lack of activity are pervasive even as crime is no longer a serious problem, parking is easier to manage than ever before, and significant new venues deliver over 7 million visitors to Downtown every year.
The perception is that "nothing is happening Downtown," but the reality is that Downtown has had significant levels of reinvestment, is increasingly vibrant, and already deserves a far better reputation than it enjoys. Even so, the history of announced projects that did not occur has created a climate of skepticism.
The work in progress in The Queen City Hub should alter the reality even more to the positive and the image needs to improve in like fashion. There is a lack of understanding about who is marketing Downtown, at what level and for what purpose.
Current Status
As Western New York gains a better understanding of its interdependence, it also gains a better sense of the need for cooperation. At a macro level, this has been expressed through the creation of the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise.
Strategies
Develop a fully coordinated image campaign based on creating:
- An inventory of current marketing efforts
- A benchmark survey of current attitudes about Downtown
- A program to manage communications on The Queen City Hub implementation program
- A case for marketing Downtown and seeking funding support
- Training for local leadership in both the business and government sectors to ensure a broad cross section of representatives speaking clearly and positively about Downtown
- Make the plan the basis for a full image campaign branding Downtown as the hub of the region
Image Downtown: Action Items
Short Term Analysis (6 months to 1 year)
- Examine current marketing inventory. Determine what organizations advertise events, destinations or products in Downtown. Examine the budget spent, target audience and method of advertising. Look for overlap and opportunities for collaboration.
- Conduct an attitudinal study. There is subjective evidence that Downtown has an image problem. However, there has not been detailed research into the validity of this claim. A study that examines perceptions of users and nonusers of Downtown will help identify problems. A survey of Western New York and Southern Ontario residents is recommended to determine if we understand the image correctly.
Short Term Implementation (6 months to 1 year)
- Develop an approach to managing communications on the details of Queen City Hub implementation. Manage expectations and realistically project potential. There needs to be an active publicity campaign to inform the public about the status of initiatives and projects.
Medium Term Policy (1 to 3 years)
- Showcase success stories and challenges Downtown in an annual accounting of progress on plan implementation for broad distribution.
Medium Term Implemetation (1 to 3 years)
- Institute training/capacity building for local leaders to better work with the media.
- Formalize an Image Campaign that will convene groups that market Downtown, approach businesses, foundations and others for donations, create an umbrella organization to design and implement the campaign, and focus on local audiences, Downtown users, children and others.
Long Term Analysis (3 to 5 years)
- Conduct follow-up on the attitudinal benchmark study. The intent of the follow-up is to help measure progress on local and regional attitudes about Downtown and to adjust the image program based on data.
Long Term Implementation (3 to 5 years)
- Promote the successful progress in Downtown growing out of the implementation of the strategic plan.
Image Downtown: Snapshot
Image In Brief
Measures of Success
- Improved results from attitudinal survey
- Revised inventory of marketing products that are more effective and comprehensive in promoting Downtown assets
