Victoria Online Community Survey

Victoria is about to begin one of our most important projects in a
long time. We are going to brand Victoria.

No we are not branding cattle on Main Street. “Branding” refers to doing
everything we can to create a positive image as we market our City and region to businesses, tourists and other travelers.

Basically, the branding process involves four steps:

1. Research. We will do extensive research to find out how Victoria
services travelers, prospective business operators, shoppers, patients
and other visitors. The research will identify the things we are doing
right and also find the areas that we need to improve.
2. Use the research to develop a creative slogan and logo, and get guidance on developing a marketing plan.
3. Develop a marketing plan. This marketing plan will be developed
by a local advertising agency.
4. Implement the marketing plan.

The first step - research - is the first part of the branding project;
and the most expensive part. We have identified a Tennessee research
company - North Star Branding - that will conduct the research. North
Star has done similar research for many American cities including Galveston, Beaumont, Tyler, McKinney, Killeen, Abilene and other Texas cities. These cities have benefited from the research with increased tourism, increased business recruitment, improved retention of young professionals, and other positive impacts across many sectors of their communities.

North Star researchers will come to Victoria to talk to officials,
residents, business owners, business customers and visitors who shop,
work and eat in our community. Much of this research will be done by
experienced “mystery shoppers” posing as tourists, residents or
prospective business owners. If you are stopped on the street or visited
by a stranger - it may be one of our researchers.

The research will take about eight months to complete and the funding is in place for the first phase of this project. The following companies, colleges and governmental bodies have agreed to help fund this research: AE&P, University of Houston at Victoria, The Victoria College, H.E.B., Citizens Hospital, DeTar Hospital, Texas Workforce Center, Urban Engineering, Victoria County and the City of Victoria.
To find out more about the background of the branding project, click on this link for background materials. This link also has
information about how similar branding projects have positively impacted
other Texas cities.

After the branding project is finished, it will serve as the cornerstone
for all the marketing of this community. If you have specific questions
about Victoria’s Branding Project or would like a short presentation on
the project for your company, don’t hesitate to contact me at 573-5277.

Thank you for helping to make the Branding Project a reality.

Sincerely,

Randy Vivian
President/CEO
Victoria Chamber of Commerce
3404 N. Ben Wilson
Victoria, Texas 77901
(361) 573-5277 Office