Communication Committee Identity & Branding Sprint
In May 2018, the Calumet Collaborative brought various communication professionals together as part of the collaborative’s communication committee, and this committee completed and identity and branding sprint. The sprint was completed over 3, 2-hour meetings. The purpose of the sprint was to discover and catalogue the existing identity and branding work that has been done to date for the Calumet region, and then to identify gaps in the current work. The discovery work in this toolkit, plus understanding what work still needs to be done, will serve as a set of resources to jump start the consultant’s identity and branding work for the Calumet region. When submitting the proposal, please keep in mind that a large portion of discovery work has already been completed.
Discovery Toolbox
Calumet Heritage Area and Regional Identity
Calumet Heritage Area Feasibility Study: A feasibility study was created by the Calumet Heritage Partnership that describes in detail how the Calumet region qualifies to be a National Heritage Area according to the 10 criteria outlined by the National Park Service. This feasibility study tells the rich history of the Calumet and provides a detailed catalogue of all the natural, cultural, historical, and industrial resources of the region. It is a key resource in understanding the history and cultural identity of the Calumet.
History and story of the Calumet are covered in chapters 2 and 3
Key resources, sites, events, and historical information in the Calumet Region in Appendix C (Page 98)
Calumet Area cultural events are listed in Appendix C (page 107)
The Calumet Heritage Area Factsheet: describes how organizations are working together to create a Calumet Heritage Area, What the Calumet Heritage Area will look like (including programming themes), and benefits of becoming a National Heritage Area
The Calumet Heritage Area Websiteand corresponding mission statement (also on home page): The Calumet Heritage Area is a place of nationally significant natural, industrial, labor, and cultural heritage assets, that are preserved and interpreted to enrich the lives of its residents and visitors from across the nation
Lakota Group Wayfinding report: During the time of the Millennium Reserve, Lakota Group was hired to develop a Wayfinding narrative and concept or plan for the Calumet region. This concept or plan was introduced in 2016, and also included recommendations and next steps for implementation.
Audience impressions, current and desired, page 6
Millennium Reserve Guidebook: A Natural and Cultural Guide to the Calumet Region from Bronzeville to the Indiana Dunes is full of color photos, maps, stories, and descriptions of the diverse recreation, entertainment, and educational attractions.
Tourism blogon the Calumet region from Enjoy Illinois tourism website
African-American Heritage on the South Side: another blog post from the Enjoy Illinois Tourism website - highlights some African-American heritage sites in the Calumet region, however this blog post does include sites that extend beyond the Calumet Heritage Boundaries, that are part of the Black Metropolis Heritage Area
South Shore CVA website- gives background on the region, as well as links to many events on the Indiana side of the Calumet
Indiana Dunes Tourism Website, regional projects - includes more in depth information on recreational opportunities at and around the dunes in some of the smaller towns like Porter and Burns Harbor
Calumet Films: Episode 1 (pilot) of a series on the Calumet
Positioning Pullman: a report that it an output from a three day community design workshop held with AIA CHICAGO and the NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION (NPCA). The design workshop focused on four main areas: PARK EXPERIENCE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION & ADAPTIVE REUSE, ACCESS & CONNECTIONS, & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
Innovative Calumet: A presentation that discusses the challenges of the Calumet region and how to overcome those challenges with innovative growth strategies.
Coastal County Snapshot: This online tool by NOAA provides charts and graphs that describe complex coastal data for counties in the Calumet region (Cook - IL, Lake - IN, Porter - IN, LaPorte - IN). The most helpful snapshot in terms of Calumet region audience data is probably coastal jobs.
Illinois Tourists
Illinois Tourism info - still determining if regional visitors associations are willing to share their data
Porter County Tourism - Economic Impact Report: detailed report about the economic impact of tourism in Porter County, Northwest Indiana. Audience data, such as demographics of tourists visiting Porter County, are included (page 24).
South Shore CVA Social Media Demographics: Detailed reports on South Shore CVA's twitter, facebook, and instagram audiences. Do not share this data. The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority is a sales and marketing organization that leads the hospitality industry and aids its partners through the development and support of attractions throughout Northwest Indiana.
Indiana Residents
Northwest Indiana Counties (Lake County, Porter County, and LaPorte County) demographics information can be seen on this map, by clicking on each respective county.
National Heritage Area Research (Competitive Scan)
As we do not have access to consumer survey data (MRI, Simmons, etc), we understand there is a lot about our target audience we may not understand, especially when it comes to behaviors and attitudes
Resident Testimonials - would be helpful in understanding perceptions of the region, and why residents live where they live, what they enjoy about the Calumet, etc.
Would be beneficial to understand the demographics of visitors to other National Heritage Areas