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Middlesex County

[large]Duration: May 2016 – Present[/large]

[subheading]Challenges[/subheading]

  • Middlesex County, New Jersey seeks to expand its marketing efforts and economic development opportunities by undertaking a strategic assessment of the County’s “brand” as it exists today.
  • The county also needs a comprehensive outreach and promotional plan for its overall economic development.

[subheading]Approach[/subheading]

With collaboration from TopRight as Sub-Contractor developed a four-phase approach – assessment, brand communication, performance measurement and implementation – to help them achieve the marketing and economic development goals:

  • Interview county stakeholders to uncover economic development objectives, goals, strategies and performance measures
  • Define and agree of a clear Destination Statement, Brand Positioning, Architecture and Story
  • Develop an economic framework to ensure long-term goals can be achieved
  • Conduct Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) and Segmentation analyses
  • Develop a Marketing Plan for Middlesex County incorporating Product, Price, Place and Promotion (four Ps)
  • Identify performance metrics to assess the viability of programs and activities
  • Determine the appropriate allocation between national/centralized and local/regional marketing spend
  • Based on the importance of message, channel and stage within the overall purchasing cycle, identify those marketing activities that will require priority focus
  • Develop campaign strategy (themes, messages, and channels/media) to drive increased conversion
  • Prepare budgets and timelines for recommended communications efforts and measure results on an ongoing basis

[subheading]Results[/subheading]

  • Completed Phase 1 of 3 including the development of the destination, brand positioning, architecture, and story development
  • Developed an Economic Development Planning Framework to assess economic vitality and community, quality of life and livability and brand image, positioning and marketing effectiveness
  • Phase II commenced