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REQUEST FOR ACTION <br />TO ITEM NIUMBER <br />Economic Develo ment Authori 7. <br />AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY <br /> June 11, 2012 Clay Wilfahrt, Assistant Director of <br /> Economic Develo ment <br />ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED B)/ <br />Branding and Marketing Update Annie Deckert, Director of Economic <br /> Develo ment <br /> REVIEWED BY <br />ACTION REQUESTED <br />None <br />BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION <br />Website <br />As recommended inthe brand plan, staff is working on a redevelopment of the city's website.. We had <br />originally planned to develop a site .for just the economic .development department but found that there <br />would be a significant cost savings by combining development of the entire city site with economic <br />.development. The EDA budgeted for a website in 2012, the city plans to upgrade their. site in 2013. <br />A web development team interviewed various firms. and selected Civic Plus to complete the redesign. We <br />expect to begin development of the economic development website in June-and anticipate. completion by <br />early fall. <br />Community brand website <br />Recognizing the need for a central location for information about the community brand and per brand <br />plan recommendation, the Brand Champions have partnered with city staff to develop a website at <br />www.poweredbynature.com. The site will house brand information, images, logo files, ideas of use, news <br />and more. The page is in the .final stages of development and is expected to be completed by mid June. <br />The site will be maintained by= the Brand Champions. <br />Testimonials <br />Staff is scheduling video testimonials with downtown businesses to demonstrate how the downtown <br />businesses are powered by nature. Staff anticipates the videos to be available online (social media, <br />website and blog) in July. <br />Rillk~~r~l <br />Per brand plan recommendation, abillboard promoting Elk River and the community's Powered By <br />Nature brand will be displayed along US Hwy 169 between Elk River and Zimmerman starting July 1. <br />The billboard will move to Highway 10 east of Elk River in September. <br />@'®IrE~Ei~ 1r <br />~~~~ <br />