Woodstock looks at ideas for rebranding with help of company

A rebranding campaign could be in the cards for Woodstock as city officials look for ideas on how to enhance the city’s image to help assist its growth goals.

The City Council took initial steps to do this at its meeting Tuesday, when it heard a presentation from North Star Branding out of Nashville, Tennessee. Roberto Muñoz, research and market insights director for North Star, broke down how branding can help and what the company would look to do in the early stages.

“We believe that place branding is simply about helping communities reach their preferred futures,” he said. “There’s nothing more to it. It’s simply about getting you to where you want to be.”

The company’s presentation Tuesday detailed reasons why cities should consider branding a priority, and included a number of cities that saw an increase in several categories, from investments to web traffic and employment growth, in part due to branding.

“We’re proud of the results, but we do not claim this happened solely because of us,” Muñoz said.

Mayor Mike Turner said he felt like the information from the presentation matched well with the direction Woodstock wants to go in terms of its branding, calling it a “great start.”

“I think the goals of what you’re looking to do here are on target … for the Woodstock brand,” Turner said.

North Star’s plans in Woodstock still are in the early stages, but they include one-on-ones with residents and officials, a community survey and focus groups.

Business Development Director Danielle Gulli said two focus groups already took place, yielding a “terrific turnout.” There were more than 700 names from a previous survey the city conducted noting who would be interested in participating in future focus groups and similar events.

The presentation and upcoming plans follow a rebranding initiative passed by the City Council back in January, along with the city selecting North Star to lead that effort in March, according to city material.

Since those decisions, city staff has worked with North Star to gather information on the history and culture of Woodstock. This week, the company has been visiting Woodstock, as well, to continue its research.

“This effort will help Woodstock stand out in the marketplace as we grow toward our preferred future,” according to city material.

Those interested in participating can visit brandingwoodstock.com, which has been created by North Star to allow residents to share their stories.

“We fully rely on city staff, on your help, on the help of your residents to really enact the work that we are here to do,” Muñoz said.