Hundreds of Godfrey residents, visitors, business employees and city officials filled Hatheway Hall during the Godfrey Branding Gala at Lewis and Clark Community College, March 10.
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With a population of less than 18,000 residents, Godfrey has a small town feel with a big city attitude. In the past, Godfrey was considered a calm, rural town with quiet, safe neighborhoods and a few small businesses for convenient access to necessities. While the neighborhoods remain safe and calm, businesses began moving into the area, attracting more people in.
One of the biggest resources that changed Godfrey’s future is when the Interstate 255 extension was built in 2012. The highway is a direct line to St. Louis and surrounding cities, allowing an easy commute and quicker travel time.
The Village’s true potential started showing after the Wal-Mart Super Center opened in 2011, bringing in many consumers from outside of Godfrey. As more and more people discover the hidden comfort of the small community, the area began to thrive.
“I think we have a gem here and we are prime for a little bit commercial growth and I think that is going to happen real shortly,” said the Mayor of the Village of Godfrey, Mike McCormick.
The idea of branding is not new to Godfrey. Five years ago, elected officials of Godfrey began researching and coming up with an expansion plan.
WATCH Village of Godfrey Gala: An Inside Look VIDEO BELOW:
“All the elected (city) officials of Godfrey are on the same page,” said McCormick. We would like to bring some new growth into our community to make it an easier burden on their taxes and be able to give them more services.”
Numerous studies, surveys and proposals were conducted to understand exactly what it is the people want and what Godfrey could benefit from as a whole. In 2013, Godfrey became partners with North Star Destination Strategies, a community branding company, and began going into what is called a “branding campaign” to help promote the city.
North Star's Reasearch and Data Collected resulted in the following Statistics:
- 23.9% of survery respondents lived in Godfrey most of their lives
- 45.7% said LCCC is Gofrey's greatest asset
- 34.3% visitors come for Josephine's
- 39.1% said Godfrey's image of being clean and safe is most important
“It is a very progressive idea for a town this small and I applaud what they are trying to do,” said Mitch Meyers, a partner with North Star. “They are trying to grow Godfrey and let the people on the outside of the area know what a great community it is.”
Branding associates positive quality in a product, in this case it is the Village of Godfrey. Putting a brandon the community is something that will boost economy and drive people in, all while communicating a message inside and outside the district. The branding campaign puts out a consistent and honest message about what Godfrey is really about, showing off all that the community has to offer.
“There is a lot that this town has to offer and I think people that live here sometimes take for granted all the fabulous things that you have,” said Meyers. “But then you remind people in a branding campaign and tell the people on the outside of the community what you have going.”
A new position as a Development Director is being added to the city board. This position will help stimulate development so that this particular person will be able to market that and communicate that throughout the region. The goal is to get more people to move to Godfrey and attract more businesses to do the same.
“I am personally going to give him some direction to go out and get us some tax paying businesses and hopefully that will pan out for the Village and the residents,” said McCormick.
Meyers addresses the size of Godfrey and associates it to the big ideas of the city’s elected officials and the industrial development already taking place.
“I am really impressed that a community this size is undertaking this branding campaign and I really think that (the residents) are lucky to have the elected officials that you have here,” said Meyers.
SEE Village of Godfrey Re-Branding Gala VIDEO BELOW:
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