THE RESEARCH INITIATIVE

In 2022, Sun Prairie conducted a research-driven, community-wide identity initiative. This effort will help Sun Prairie stand out in the marketplace as we grow toward our preferred future. Our goal is to increase interest and investment in our community from residents, entrepreneurs, companies and visitors. We conducted research inside and outside the community to uncover perceptions, attitudes and what’s unique about Sun Prairie, and we can’t wait to share with you what you told us makes Sun Prairie special, and a community that is for everyone!

RESEARCH

We started by conducting research within Sun Prairie and then gather external perceptions. Our goal was to uncover what is distinct and authentic about the entire community.

FAQS

What is Community Branding?

Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not around. In other words, your reputation! Just like people or products, communities have reputations based on all the different experiences people have had with a community over time. Branding is the process of changing, clarifying, refining, or improving that reputation.

The first step in our community branding initiative is conducting research to figure out what Sun Prairie’s existing reputation is. At the same time, we will conduct research to determine Sun Prairie’s greatest strengths and what makes our community special and unique. This allows us to look at where we are reputation-wise and where we want to be based on our greatest strengths. We can then come up with creative tools, strategies and advocacy programs that help close the gap between the two.

A new brand won't solve all our problems. What branding can do is focus people on the positive differentiators in Sun Prairie, which can help us stand out as a preferred location. The stronger and more defined our reputation, the more people will want to live, do business and visit here.

Are a brand and a logo different?

A brand is not a logo or a tagline. A brand is a set of ideas and images (such as a logo) that set an expectation of what our community is about. Our brand is our unique story.

What does the icon represent?

The icon in this mark is a depiction of the city’s name, while bringing a sense of movement and bringing things together (diverse and interesting people, places and things) to make a whole. This is paired with an established but approachable word mark in all caps. With the handwritten style script for the tagline, it gives it a personal flair, speaking to the character found in Sun Prairie.

What does the tagline represent?

We’re used to everything revolving around the sun. But in Sun Prairie, we’re taking the subtle inversion of the central position of the sun, and this line puts the reader at the heart of your universe, making their growth, enjoyment, and success of utmost importance. It also conveys a sense of constant motion. There’s always something going on, and it’s all powered by the unique families and individuals in the city. It brings forward the idea that this community adapts to the diverse backgrounds and interests of its people, providing the right opportunity and resources for everyone. In Sun Prairie, you are the center of the universe. 

Why so much research?  

Data is the primary driver for uncovering the Sun Prairie brand. A statistically significant body of quantitative and qualitative research ensures the brand is informed by the reality of the perceptions from all consumers, residents and stakeholders.

Can you share some examples of community branding?

You can see numerous examples of community branding on the website of North Star Place Branding + Marketing. This agency is Sun Prairie’s branding partner. 

Why does the city need a brand? What’s wrong with the old one?

We're not quite getting a new brand, we're developing a brand for the first time. While the City has utilized several logos throughout its history, the City of Sun Prairie has never had a clearly defined brand. In 2020, the Tourism Commission funded a Tourism Readiness and Feasibility Study. The final report from Hunden Strategic Partners included a recommendation to develop the Sun Prairie Tourism Brand. City Staff interviewed 4 Wisconsin cities that recently conducted Branding or Re-Branding campaigns in their community. Based on interviews and information from Waupaca, Kaukauna, Watertown, and West Allis, a plan was presented for the development of a Visit and City of Sun Prairie Brand to the Tourism Commission. The Commission voted unanimously to fund an RFP for an external agency that specializes in Branding. The Commission received 8 proposals, but entered into a professional agreement with North Star Place Branding + Marketing based on their expertise in Municipality branding. While the Tourism Commission supported the development of a brand, the project aligned with the City’s 2019-22 Work Plan focus area of a Dynamic Economy, Priority 3: (to) Develop and maintain a positive and recognizable brand for the City of Sun Prairie, including but not limited to updating signage in the Business Park and elsewhere in the community.

Did my taxes go toward this branding project?

No. Residential tax dollars were not spent on this project. This project was funded by tax revenue the city earns from Wisconsin local room tax laws. The Wisconsin State statute requires that a percentage of hotel room taxes collected within a municipality be used by the municipality to promote tourism promotion and development. There are guidelines that define what constitutes acceptable tourism spending. This project met those requirements, and room tax revenue funds paid for fees associated with this work. For more information about the City of Sun Prairie’s Tourism Commission and the State of Wisconsin’s room tax law: OnBoard2 | City of Sun Prairie

How much did this cost?

The project cost $95,000 and included extensive quantitative and qualitative research that was conducted from April-September 2022; creative development which included brand identity, strapline, and logo development; and brand execution, strategy, and implementation deliverables. From RFP approval through the final report and presentation deliverables, the entire project process will have taken a full year to complete.

Again, all funding came from room tax law funding, which the city can only spend on tourism-related initiatives.

Why didn’t the city have a contest to pick a logo?

Funds were available through the Wisconsin room tax laws, and these funds have to be spent on tourism initiatives such as this. Based on the final Tourism Readiness and Feasibility Study report provided by Hunden Strategic Partners, the Tourism Commission determined that it made sense to contract with North Star Place Branding + Marketing, the industry leader in community branding to complete this work. This ensured that the logo and branding elements would be based on research, that creative would be thoughtful and of good quality, and that City Staff would be provided a comprehensive multi-year marketing plan to strategically focus efforts against community, business, and visitor initiatives.