Identity & Branding

Before we can effectively market the region, we must have a better understanding of our attributes and assets and what differentiates the Milwaukee Region on the world stage.  The Milwaukee 7 Identity Team oversees and implements a strategic coordinated branding campaign that will manifest a world-wide identity for the 7-county Milwaukee region.  The objective is to promote Milwaukee and its surrounding communities as one face to the world and ourselves, free from the borders of geography and politics.

By design, the branding campaign has departed from conventional marketing city/region campaigns that have occurred across the United States.  Just as the campaign has decided not to create the traditional “slogan,” the tactics that are deployed largely encompass guerilla or viral marketing.  The priority is on implementing a true branding campaign that is less about quick, expensive advertisements and more about a calculated long-term campaign that ultimately influences perceptions of the region.

Milwaukee 7 Marketing Council

The members of the Marketing Council understand the complexities and intricacies of this type of campaign and are individuals who can spur viral branding at the local and cluster- specific level.  The individuals include, but are not be limited to, representatives from arts & culture, business, convention & tourism, economic development, government, higher education, media and realtors.

The Marketing Council is developing an overarching Communications Framework and Plan for Milwaukee 7.  The Framework combines all of the previous branding and marketing efforts to ensure a uniform and consistent message.  The emphasis will be on collaboration among the primary organizations charged with promoting the region.

Additionally, our marketing team has been working on the following initiatives:

• More than 6,000 surveys were sent to regional and national business leaders to measure their perceptions and attitudes toward the Milwaukee Region. The results show that views of the Milwaukee region have improved since similar research was conducted in 2002.  Business leaders gave positive responses to Milwaukee's work ethic, universities, pro-business culture and access to Lake Michigan. Read the complete report, released in May 2008, here.

• Our first Legislative tour of the region was conducted in May 2008.  Modeled after the successful college editor tour, members of the Wisconsin Legislature were invited to experience living, working, learning and playing in the region.  Our thanks to Rep. Jeff Stone and Rep. Jon Richards for helping organize this visit.
  
  

• We are also collaborating with UWM’s School of Information Studies to compile a database of facts and photos of the region.  All of this material will become part of the branding toolkit that will be made available through ChooseMilwaukee.com.

Other activities include the development of a Fresh Water Marketing Campaign, the “Dream It, Do It” campaign, national news story placements, a regional promotional brochure and corporate PR briefings.

The Milwaukee 7 Logo

Simple logic prevailed in the early process of developing the Milwaukee 7 logo as it was understood that the vast majority of people across the United States could not identify nor describe what comprised a generic term such as “Southeastern Wisconsin” and, in some cases, even where it was located.  Therefore, it was determined that the regional effort must build off its most recognizable name but include the seven counties surrounding Milwaukee.  The goal was not to dilute the impact of the seven counties into one, but to proclaim that our strength comes from a strong name and seven unique parts. 

Logo Usage

In an effort to build a uniform brand, the aim of the Milwaukee 7 Usage Guide for the Corporate Identity and Brand Message is to provide guidelines on the proper use of the Milwaukee 7 logo as well as shorthand references on external communications.  The Usage Guide also provides suggestions of how to incorporate the Milwaukee 7 brand of real choices, real easy into conversations, speeches, written documents, etc.  This Usage Guide should be helpful in building a strong, consistent brand. 

Click here to download the Milwaukee 7 Usage Guide