Santa Clara City Council adopted a strategic objective in September 2013 to “develop a digital media marketing presence for economic development and to promote Santa Clara as a destination for business, entertainment, and living

 Project Description:

The mission of the City of Santa Clara is to promote a living and working environment that allows for the best quality of life by serving the community with resourceful, efficient, progressive and professional leadership.  The City has also developed a Code of Ethics & Values that is designed to provide clear, positive statements of ethical behavior reflecting the core values of the community.

 The state’s sudden dissolution of redevelopment agencies eliminated both a critical source of revenues for the city, and its primary economic development engine.  At the same time, manufacturing has moved out of the city with negative impact on city revenue.  The city is quickly recalibrating its revenue generation strategies.  Concurrently, major development projects led by the $1.2 billion construction of Levi’s Stadium are increasing demands for city services and overwhelming city resources because of the fast pace of change.

 Due to our economic situation, the Santa Clara City Council adopted a strategic objective in September 2013 to “develop a digital media marketing presence for economic development and to promote Santa Clara as a destination for business, entertainment, and living.”

The City of Santa Clara is in the heart of Silicon Valley, and the home of several large corporate headquarters, but lacks awareness and identity outside of the immediate area as a premium location for starting and growing a business. The City has a lot to offer businesses including low utility rates, a diverse and skilled workforce, a safe community, access to transportation, major university and colleges, and a ranking as the 15^th most livable city in the United States.

The City of Santa Clara would like help from an HBS Community Partners team to develop a marketing plan that focuses on how to break out of traditional government communication models to develop a dynamic marketing strategy that is proactive, effective, sustainable, and reflective of the city’s changing nature.

Project Scope might include:

• Identify no and low cost marketing vehicles and strategies
• Identify key audiences and key messages regarding the promotion of economic development, business, entertainment and living
• Identify opportunities to leverage digital media to convey key messages
• Identify opportunities to increase awareness of the Santa Clara opportunity

• Successful campaign that becomes a template for future launches
• Incorporate lessons learned and present to stakeholders

Developing a stable and sustainable revenue strategy is fundamental to the economic health of the city.  Without funds, the city cannot deliver services to residents or businesses.  Santa Clara has a unique opportunity to leverage the current exciting developments into a long-term strategy that will provide a solid financial future for the community.  The challenge is how to create a fresh marketing strategy that moves away from traditional government communication and incorporates the methodologies that are effective in the private sector.

Intrigued? Contact us here!