Saturday, January 28, 2006
People in the Midwest are practical, hard-boiled. So, it's not surprising that the latest effort to develop a brand for Fort Wayne, Indiana has prompted the editorial board of the local paper to express its skepticism. Read more.
Far from corrosive cynicism, the editor's points are important. Branding is more than a slick tag line and a bunch of bullets on a Powerpoint presentation. Fort Wayne -- and most of the industrial cities I've come to know in the Midwest -- are far more complex than the popular press would have us believe.
At its best, this branding exercise in Fort Wayne will help the community and region uncover its unique strengths. But that will require hard work from a skilled professional team. The challenge will come in distilling the values and experiences that animate the city. (Based on the editorial, they may have missed it in Bay City, Michigan.)
posted by Ed Morrison |
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Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
Branding Ft. Wayne
