2013 -2015 Strategic Plan - Stony Plain Road and Area Business

Business Association
Strategic Business Plan
2013 – 2015
Executive Summary
There are a number of incentives happening within the Stony Plain Road and Area Business
Association zone that creates a window of opportunity to transform the area in to the vibrant,
lively, business area we all want to see.
Three major contributors to improving the area are:
1. Stony Plain Urban Design
2. Jasper Place Revitalizaton
3. Rebranding of Stony Plain Road and Area.
The purpose of this plan is to provide a two year strategic plan from 2013 to 2015 with four
primary objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Attract more people to the street.
Support businesses through the 2013 – 2014 streetscape construction stage.
Encourage quality building projects, mapping and wayfinding signage.
Create a brand niche by building a market district.
To accomplish the goals, a process has been charted that covers four main components:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What needs to be done.
How it will get done.
Who will do what.
When it will be completed
2
Contents
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................2
Mission Statement .............................................................................................................................4
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................4
Who we are today… ...........................................................................................................................5
About the Stony Plain Road and Area Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) .........................................5
What’s currently happening… ............................................................................................................7
Objectives for the next two years are… ...............................................................................................9
What needs to be done… .................................................................................................................. 10
When the plan will be implemented… ............................................................................................... 13
Budget for Market Development ...................................................................................................... 14
Next steps…. .................................................................................................................................... 15
References ..................................................................................................................................... 16
Bios ............................................................................................................................................. 16
Web ............................................................................................................................................. 16
Print ............................................................................................................................................ 16
Appendices ...................................................................................................................................... 17
A – Edmonton Indicators .............................................................................................................. 17
B – 20 Ingredients......................................................................................................................... 19
C – Guerilla Marketing .................................................................................................................. 20
D – Pop-up Retail ......................................................................................................................... 23
E – Food Trucks ............................................................................................................................ 26
F – Importance of Strategic Alliances ............................................................................................ 28
G - Selecting alliance partners ....................................................................................................... 30
H – Suggested Strategic Alliances Contact Info .............................................................................. 32
I - 2013 Board of Directors Endorsement ………………………………………………………………………………………33
3
Mission Statement
The Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association (BRZ) will provide residents and patrons with a safe,
secure and comfortable business environment through the knowledge, diligence and pride in the
business community.
Introduction
Purpose
The purpose of this strategic plan is to ensure that the vision and focus of the BRZ for the next
two years is clear and transparent and encourages members, landlords, and stakeholders to
commit and engage with the direction and goals as laid out in this plan.
The strategic plan will address:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Who we are today and what currently is happening.
What the prime objectives for the next two years are.
How we plan on achieving these objectives.
When the plan will be implemented.
The challenges rivaling the strategic plan are:





Changing existing perception of business area
Integrating perceived undesirable businesses
Attracting new businesses
Apathetic business owners and landlords
Working through streetscape construction
4
Who we are today…
About the Stony Plain Road and Area Business
Revitalization Zone (BRZ)
A BRZ is a unique opportunity for businesses to work together
to accomplish mutual goals. Customers want safe, interesting
and attractive places to shop, dine and conduct business. To
attract these customers, a BRZ can enhance an area through
advocacy for:
“Today is yours to shape.
Create a masterpiece!” –
Steve Maraboli




Streetscape improvements
Joint promotions and events
Economic development
Municipal Improvement Programs (Façade and
Development Incentive Fund)
Governed by a combination of provincial legislations and City
policy, a BRZ is initiated at the request of a business
community. When a BRZ is created, City Council establishes a
business association, sets the BRZ boundary, and approves a
Board of Directors and annual budget. The budgeted amount
is collected through a special tax levy of BRZ members. Once
established, City Council annually approves the BRZ’s budget,
Board of Directors, and special tax levy. All monies collected
by the City are returned to the Business Association in
quarterly installments to fund the BRZ's initiatives.
The world will not evolve past its
current state of crisis by using
the same thinking that created
the situation. – Albert Einstein
A business association must meet several requirements each
year:




Produce an audited financial statement and annual
report
Conduct an annual general meeting for its members
Nominate a Board of Directors
Draft an annual budget
5
Specifics about the Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association (BRZ)






The Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association was established in 2006.
The boundary is from 140 streets to 170 streets Stony Plain Road – from 100 to 102 Ave.
In 2012 there are six voting Board members and eight in 2013 (See Appendix I)
The staff consists of:
o Fulltime Executive Director (ED)
o Part-time Office Assistant (OA)
o Proposed Market Facilitator (MF) April – October 2013
There are approximately 550 business members. The mix is anywhere from small mom and
pop shops to mall retail to automotive to commercial industrial.
The communities adjacent to and surrounding Stony Plain Road and Area Business
Association are:
o Canora
o Britannia Youngstown
o West Jasper Place
o Glenwood
o Crestwood
o Grovner
o Glenora
o High Park
o Mayfield
“The essence of community, its
heart and soul, is the nonmonetary exchange of value;
things we do and share because
we care for others, and for the
good of the place.” – Dee Hock
Strengths and Opportunities
Strengths
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Stony Plain Urban Design Vision – streetscape proposal 149th to 170th Street SPR
Jasper Place Revitalization - New ARP for surrounding communities
New Medical center (161 to 163 street Stony Plain Road)
Close proximately of bike paths and McKinnon Raven
New mixed used development – Jasper Gates Condominium
New Façade Development – Currently 3 proposed
City purchase of Grant MacEwan University for the purpose of arts,
multicultural, and not-for-profit hub
o
o
Location – 15 minute access from most areas in City
Popular go to destinations:
 Revolution Cycle
 Wee Book Inn
 Ethnic grocery shops
 Haven Social Club
 One Stop Bike Shop
 West Commerce Businesses
 43 Restaurants, western and ethnic
 41 Hair, nail and personal grooming es
 30 Clothing and clothing accessories
stores
 27 Automotive repair and maintenance
 Two anchor malls: Jasper Place Mall and Mayfield Common Mall
6
Opportunities
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Façade Program
Development Incentive Fund
Branding – New Market District
Strategic Alliances
New Medical Development
Glenora Skyline Development
Edmonton WinterCity Strategy Proposal
Development of Grant MacEwan University for artists
Acquainting landlords with vision and direction
Future demographics (Appendix C)
Location, location, location
Future Trends (Appendix D)
 Gurreilla Marketing
 Pop up Retail
 Food Trucks
What’s currently happening…
Stony Plain Urban Design Vision
Stony Plain Road is emerging as one of West Edmonton’s key destinations. In 2013, the City will
begin streetscape improvements to help make Stony Plain Road more accessible, better
designed and pedestrian-friendly. Stony Plain Road streetscaping is a part of the City’s
revitalization of Jasper Place, which includes turning Stony Plain Road into a mixed-use “main
street” accessible by a variety of transportation modes. It will focus on Stony Plain Road
between 149 Street and 158 Street, including the side streets up to the alley. Streetscape
improvements will continue between 158 Street and 170 Street following the completion of the
149 Street to 158 Street phase.
Jasper Place Revitalization
In 2010, the City of Edmonton adopted a new Municipal Development Plan, The Way We Grow.
It sets out the City’s vision for a more compact, sustainable and livable City. The City also
approved a revitalization strategy for Jasper Place in 2009 which included the goal of
undertaking an Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) process for the four Jasper Place
neighbourhoods. This work is now getting underway.
The ARP will be developed in collaboration with community and City stakeholders over the next
year. It will build on the existing visioning work that has been done through the Revitalization
Strategy and will create a local strategy for implementing the City’s key strategic priorities, while
recognizing community aspirations as they were expressed in the Revitalization Strategy.
7
Recreating the brand for Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association
To succeed in branding the needs and wants of the customers must be understood. This is done
by integrating a brand strategy through every point of public contact. The brand resides within
the hearts and minds of customers, businesses, stakeholders and landlords. It is the sum total of
their experiences and perceptions, some of which can be influenced, and some that cannot.
A strong brand is invaluable as the battle for customers intensifies day by day. It's important to
spend time investing in researching, defining, and building the brand.
This past year the BRZ has been working on a vision to create a new brand for the area. Through
the Revitalization Strategy, The City of Edmonton provided two matching grants which were
used to research and define the potential of the business area and provide a direction for a new
brand image. The methodology used was to engage Roger Brooks of Destination Development
Inc. to help with the process. Roger visited the business area in January 2012 and provided
valuable insight on how to achieve an attractive and appealing area through various
recommendations. Roger strongly suggested that the change be focused one block at a time.
Following his visit a workshop was attended by the Board of Directors at Roger’s office in Seattle
to grind down the options for a brand. The result was a consensus that the Stony Plain Road and
Area could become the market district of Edmonton. The next step was to then involve Aaron
Zaretsky of Public Market Development for his expertise option on whether the market district
idea was feasible for the area. Aaron provided a report that outlined all the positives attributes
of the area that supported the vision and highly recommended moving forward to creating an
urban district market of Edmonton. The block selected was 152 -153 Street Stony Plain Road
(152 Block) with the criteria for picking the first block being based on a combination of
concentrated commitment from the landlords and business members.
“The future depends on what you do today.” – Mahatma Gandhi
8
Objectives for the next two years are…
Attract more people to the business area by:
Improve the physical image of the business area to help make it a destination.
Improve social image of the business by encouraging a quality business environment that
supports a balanced mix of businesses.
Promote business and property investment opportunities.
Actively market the area to attract residents and visitors.
Support the businesses throughout the streetscape construction stage by:
Ensure strong communication between the businesses, landlords and overall construction
process of the streetscape.
Arrange additional promotion and signage requirements during construction.
Encourage quality building projects, area mapping, and wayfinding signage by:
Partnering with the City of Edmonton and implementing a comprehensive gateway and
wayfinding plan.
Continue to promote the Façade Program and the Development Incentive Fund.
Create a map of the business area.
Build a district market niche by:
Build one block at a time starting with the businesses and landlords in the 152 block.
Source out investors who understand and support the vision.
Work with elected and City officials on vision.
Create strong strategic alliances to promote the market.
Hire a facilitator to work with the market setup.
Create a society by which the market will be governed.
“If you want to go
far, go together
with others.” Proverb
9
What needs to be done…
Attract more people to the business area by:
Strategy
How
Improve the physical image of the
business area to help make it a
destination
1. Visual enhancements through flower planters, seasonal
lighting and litter removal programs.
2. Encourage landlords to improve their building curb
appeal and take advantage of the Façade Improvement
Program.
3. Encourage businesses to improve the appearance of
their outside entrance and window dressings.
4. Improve wayfinding signage.
5. Encourage perpendicular business signs.
6. Provide clear directions for parking and identify
possible future locations.
Improve social image of the business by
encouraging a quality business
environment that supports a balanced
mix of businesses
1. Create an inventory of businesses that would we would
like to attract to the area.
2. Work with landlords to help find tenants.
3. Encourage landlords with vacant space to use window
dressings to promote preferred businesses.
4. Work with City to utilize vacant property by leasing to
Pop Up Retail.
5. Encourage four season patios to bring people to the
streets.
6. Create Guerrilla Marketing strategies to promote the
business area.
7. Encourage Food Trucks to attract more people to the
streets.
Promote business and property
investment opportunities
1. Monitor all for lease and/or sale property and make
contact with landlord and/or leasing agent.
2. Have a marketing package ready including short video
to present whenever opportunity presents itself.
3. Create Strategic Alliances to help promote investment
opportunities.
Actively market the area to attract
residents and visitors
1. Utilize all forms of advertising including social media,
print, networking.
2. Research TV and Radio options.
3. Find a spokesperson.
10
Support the businesses throughout the streetscape construction stage by:
Strategy
How
Ensure strong communication between
the businesses, landlords and overall
construction process of the streetscape
1. Create a list of key personnel.
2. Host a meeting with key personnel prior to construction
start to outline a communication direction.
Determine additional promotion and
signage requirements during
construction
1. Work with City to map out signage requirements.
2. Work with construction contractor to outline time table.
Encourage quality building projects, area mapping and wayfinding signage and
by:
Strategy
How
Partnering with the City of Edmonton
and implementing a comprehensive
gateway and wayfinding plan.
1. Create a tool to identify where wayfinding and mapping
would be most effective.
Continue to promote the Façade
Program & Development Incentive
Fund
1. Target ideal locations that would qualify for the
Development Incentive and Façade funding.
2. Host an open house for developers and landlords
showcase the qualifying properties.
Build a district market niche by:
Strategy
How
Build one block at a time starting with
the businesses and landlords in the 152
block.
1. Meet with landlords one on one and outlining the vision
and asking for their cooperation by:
a. Turning vacant space into smaller units.
b. Encourage similar store hours in lease.
2. Meet with landlords one on one and outlining the vision
and asking for their cooperation by:
a. Dressing up their storefront and improve curb
appeal.
b. Keeping the sidewalks clean and graffiti clear.
c. Changing to perpendicular signage.
d. Keeping same store hours.
Source out investors who understand
and support the vision.
1. Host an open house to present vision.
2. Meet with commercial realtors.
3. Contact similar markets in other cities.
11
Work with elected and City officials on
the vision.
1. Ask for support from the City to collaborate on an
enhancement program for derelict property within and
in close proximity of the 152 block.
Create strong strategic alliances to
promote the market.
1. Create an inventory of companies with common goals
and objectives that would enhance the market area.
Hire a facilitator to help with the
market setup.
1. Help promote the market to developers, City officials
and provincial officials.
2. Create a society for the market which includes setting up
bylaws for the market area.
3. Help attract vendors suitable for the market.
4. Suggest marketing approaches to attract people to the
market.
Create a society by which the market
will be governed.
1. Bring back Aaron to:
a. Outline the bylaws for the market
b. Help create a not for profit society
12
When the plan will be implemented…
2012
Month
November
Nov/Dec
Nov/Dec
Nov/Dec
Task




Grant application to City to hire Market Facilitator
Create a database of vacant space.
Create a map of available parking spaces including vacant land
Assemble a marketing package in preparation to meet one on
one with landlords and businesses within 152 block, strategic
alliances and key stakeholders.
Who
ED
OA
OA
ED
2013
Month
Task
Who
January

Create an inventory of businesses to attract to the area.
ED
February

Identify City owned vacant property and meet with City
administration to promote and encourage Pop up Retail in
the vacant buildings and/or property.
ED
Jan to Mar

Meet with potential strategic alliances.
ED
February

ED
March

Start sourcing out a Market Facilitator to be hired by the
April.
Set up a meeting between Construction Company and City
administration to develop a communication structure to
address pedestrian and consumer obstruction caused by
construction.
Mar to May

Set up one on one meetings with businesses of 152 block to:
o Improve the outside and window dressing of their
stores
o Encourage perpendicular signage.
o Encourage and promote four season patios.
o Keeping similar shopping schedules.
o Keeping sidewalks clean and graffiti free.
MF
March to June

Set up one on one meetings with landlords of 152 block to:
o Discuss possible options to improve the curb appeal
of the properties
ED/MF
13
ED
o
o
Turn vacant spaces into smaller units.
Encourage window dressing to promote desired
businesses in vacant spaces.
April

Plan for 200 flower barrels placement.
On Going


Work with landlords to find new tenants.
Create relationships with commercial realtors.
ED/MF/OA
April

ED/MF/OA
April - July
Sept to Dec


Host an open house to present the strategic plan to all the
stakeholders.
Work on winter lighting theme for 2013/2014.
Work on a marketing strategy for Market District which
involves:
o Creating a marketing committee
o Developing a new branding identification
o Creating a new website for the market.
o Creating social media links and accounts
September

OA
ED
Initiate a meeting with the City administration to discuss and
design a strategy for wayfinding signage.
2014
Month
Task
January -July

July December

Who
Contract Aaron Zaretsky with Public Market Development to
help create a Market District Society and bylaw’s for the
market.
Work on Market District Strategy
Budget for Market Development
 2013
Requirement
Hire Market Facilitator
Open House
Website – Social Media

Amount
$20,000
$ 2,000
$ 1,000
Source
Grant – City of Edmonton
BRZ Budget
BRZ Budget
Amount
$20,000
$20,000
Source
Grant – City of Edmonton
BRZ Budget
2014
Requirement
Public Market Development
14
Next steps….
The recommendation for this plan requires on-going monitoring and assessment. This report should be
used as a guide and referred to regularly to ensure that the recommendations are being implemented.
The Board of Directors and the Executive Director should incorporate review of the report as a
permanent agenda item and update each meeting until goals have been achieved.
Summary and conclusion…
Communication with the members, stakeholders, strategic alliances and surrounding communities is a
very important aspect to supporting and achieving the missions and goals of the association. By
understanding the strengths and opportunities and engaging strategic alliances, together we can make
this a vibrant main street. To show good faith the Board of Directors and the Executive Director have
endorsed this strategic plan.
15
References
Bios
Roger Brooks
www.destinationdevelopment.com
Aaron Zaretsky
www.publicmarketdevelopment.com
Web
Edmonton Census 2011
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E
Revitalizing Main Streets
https://www.downtowndevelopment.com/revitalizing_main_street.php
Main Streets – A Regional Approach
http://www.co.ulster.ny.us/planning/ucpb/mainst/toolbox/MS%20Planning%20Guide%201.2%20Devel
oping%20a%20MS%20Strategy.pdf
Pop Up Retail
http://www.firepolemarketing.com/blog/2011/06/20/pop-up-retail/
WinterCity Strategy
http://www.edmonton.ca/City_government/documents/WinterCity_Consultation_Summary_FINAL.pdf
Guerrilla Marketing
http://www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/what-is-guerrilla-marketing/
What makes food trucks so special?
http://blog.foodservicewarehouse.com/blog/20
Strategic Alliance Success Factors
http://www.rtleads.com/1/post/2012/08/strategic-alliance-success-factors-if-you-want-to-go-far-gowith-others.html
How to Develop Strategic Alliances
https://bizhub.anz.co.nz/resources/how-to-develop-strategic-alliances.aspx?page=all
Print
Niche Strategies for Downtown Revitalization
N. David Milder
The 20 Ingredients of an Outstanding Destination
Rogers Brooks – Destination Development Inc
16
Appendices
A – Edmonton Indicators
2006-2011 Census
Population
Edmonton’s population growth accelerates
February 08, 2012 – Today’s release of census population figures for 2011 confirms Edmonton’s
outstanding growth performance in recent years. The Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) saw
its population grow to 1,159,869 in 2011 and recorded the second fastest pace of growth of any
metropolitan area in Canada over the period from 2006 to 2011 (see Table 1 below).
The City of Edmonton recorded equally impressive growth in population reaching a total of
812,201 in 2011. It is important to note that the City’s population growth from 2006 to 2011
was faster than that recorded in the previous census. These very solid growth figures indicate
that migration into both the City and the Capital Region was less negatively affected by the
recent recession than previously thought. This bodes well for future growth as it indicates the
region is able to attract and retain migrants, even in difficult eco nomic times.
Alberta was the fastest growing province in Canada, driven by the growth of Calgary, Edmonton and
Wood Buffalo. While Alberta has traditionally drawn much of its rising population from other provinces,
international migration is playing an increasing role. Alberta’s share of the international migrants
arriving in Canada has grown consistently over the past decade, resulting in a more diverse and
cosmopolitan provincial population.
At the national level, our country’s total population grew to 33.5 million in 2011. Broadly speaking,
growth was fastest in western Canada while the Maritimes lagged behind the national average.
Interestingly, both Saskatchewan and Newfoundland managed to reverse their former trend of
population loss, with both provinces reporting gains in the period from 2006 to 2011.
17
Table 1
Selected Population Figures
Population
Geographic name
Canada
Alberta
Edmonton CMA
City of Edmonton
Calgary CMA
City of Calgary
Strathcona County
St. Albert
Parkland County
Spruce Grove
City of Leduc
Sturgeon County
Fort Saskatchewan
Leduc County
Stony Plain
Beaumont
Morinville
Devon
2011
33,476,688
3,645,257
1,159,869
812,201
1,214,839
1,096,833
92,490
61,466
30,568
26,171
24,279
19,578
19,051
13,541
15,051
13,284
8,569
6,510
% change
2006 to
2001 to
2006
31,612,897
3,290,350
1,034,945
730,372
1,079,310
988,193
82,511
57,764
29,220
19,541
16,967
18,566
14,957
13,135
12,363
8,961
6,775
6,256
Source: Statistics Canada
18
2001
30,007,094
2,974,807
937,845
666,104
951,494
870,003
71,986
53,081
27,217
15,983
15,032
18,067
13,121
12,528
9,624
7,006
6,540
4,969
20115.9
10.8
12.1
11.2
12.6
10.9
12.1
6.4
4.6
33.9
43.1
5.5
27.4
3.1
21.7
48.2
26.5
4.0
2006
5.4
10.6
10.4
9.6
13.4
12.4
14.6
8.7
7.5
22
12.9
3.1
14
1.6
28.5
27.9
3.6
25.9
B – 20 Ingredients
The 20 Ingredients of an Outstanding Destination
No
Ingredient
1
Have a plan
2
Define a strong brand
3
10/10/10 Rule
10 Places that sell food
10 Destination retail shops
10 Places opened after 6:00 PM
4
Anchor tenants
5
Lease agreements define operation hours and days
6
Mixed use developments
7
Landlords willing to make a difference
8
One block
9
Parking solutions
10 Public washrooms
11 Gathering places
12 Good first impressions – Community districts
13 Wayfinding sings
14 20/20 Signage (perpendicular)
15 Good first impressions - gateways
16 Sidewalk cafes
17 Façade beautification
18 Activities and entertainment
19 District name
20 Market the experience
19
Check
C – Guerilla Marketing
What Is Guerrilla Marketing?
Guerrilla Marketing is an advertising strategy that focuses on low-cost unconventional
marketing tactics that yield maximum results.
The original term was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his 1984 book ‘Guerrilla Advertising’.
The term guerrilla marketing was inspired by guerrilla warfare which is a form of irregular
warfare and relates to the small tactic strategies used by armed civilians. Many of these tactics
includes ambushes, sabotage, raids and elements of surprise. Much like guerrilla warfare,
guerrilla marketing uses the same sort of tactics in the marketing industry.
This alternative advertising style relies heavily on unconventional marketing strategy, high
energy and imagination. Guerrilla Marketing is about taking the consumer by surprise, make an
indelible impression and create copious amounts of social buzz. Guerrilla marketing is said to
make a far more valuable impression with consumers in comparison to more traditional forms of
advertising and marketing. This is due to the fact that most guerrilla marketing campaigns aim to
strike the consumer at a more personal and memorable level.
Guerrilla marketing is often ideal for small businesses that need to reach a large audience
without breaking the bank. It also is used by big companies in grassroots campaigns to
compliment on-going mass media campaigns. Individuals have also adopted this marketing style
as a way to find a job or more work.
The History of Guerrilla Marketing
Advertising can be dated back to 4000 BC where the early Egyptians used papyrus to make sales
messages and wall posters. What we consider traditional advertising and marketing slowly
developed over the centuries but never really boomed until the early 1900s.
It was at this time that the main goal of advertisements were to educate the consumer on the
product or service rather than to entertain and engage them.
20
In 1960, campaigns focuses on heavy advertising spending in different mass media channels
such as radio and print.
It wasn’t till the late 1980s and early 1990s that cable television started seeing advertising
messages. The most memorable pioneer during this time was MTV where they focused on
getting the consumer to tune in for the advertising message rather than it being the by-product of
a featured show.
Agencies struggled to make an impression on consumers and consumers were tired of being
marketed to. It was time for a change.
In 1984, marketer Jay Conrad Levinson introduced the formal term in his book called, “Guerrilla
Marketing.”
Levinson comes from a background as the Senior Vice-President at J. Walter Thompson and
Creative Director and Board Member at Leo Burnett Advertising. In Levinson’s book, he
proposes unique ways of approaching and combating traditional forms of advertising. The goal
of
guerrilla
marketing
was to
use
unconvent
ional
tactics to
advertise
on a small
budget.
During
this time,
radio,
television and print were on the rise, but consumers were growing tired. Levinson suggests that
campaigns need to be shocking, unique, outrageous and clever. It needs to create buzz.
Small businesses started changing their ways of thinking and approached marketing in a brand
new way. The concept of guerrilla marketing continues to develop and grow organically.
You can find more information about Jay Conrad Levinson at the Official Site of Guerrilla
Marketing.
How Big Businesses Are Using Guerrilla Marketing
Guerrilla marketing originally was a concept aimed towards small businesses with a small
budget, but this didn’t stop big businesses from adopting the same ideology.
21
Larger companies have been using unconventional marketing to compliment their advertising
campaigns. Some marketers argue that when big businesses utilize guerrilla marketing tactics, it
isn’t true guerrilla. Bigger companies have much larger budgets and their brands are usually
already well established.
It can also be far more risky for a big business to do guerrilla marketing tactics. In some
instances, their guerrilla stunts can flop and ultimately become a PR nightmare. Smaller
businesses don’t run as much risk as most people will just write it off as another failed stunt.
One such example would be the famous 2007 Boston Bomb Scare caused by Turner
Broadcasting on January 31, 2007. What started off as a guerrilla marketing campaign to
promote a new film featuring a Cartoon Network show called Aqua Teen Hunger Force, turned
into a Citywide bomb scare. Turner Broadcasting with the help of guerrilla marketing agency,
Interference, Inc., placed battery-powered LED placards resembling the ‘Mooninite’ character on
the cartoon show. The LED placards were placed throughout Boston, Massachusetts and the
surrounding cities.
The placards were placed in random locations and remained unlit during the day. At night the
placards lit up to show the ‘Mooninite’ character putting up his middle finger. The devices
resembled some characteristics of explosive devices and soon caused the scare.
The campaign ended up costing Turner Broadcasting and Interference, Inc. $2 million for the
incident. The campaign itself received a lot of criticism both good and bad.
“Nobody could have conceived that Lite-Brite cartoon character was going to evoke a bomb
scare. Once you take the emotion out of it, it was a really innovative campaign. That’s what
people will remember. Many of the brands we work with are asking us for guerrilla marketing
campaigns, with an element of mystery, but they don’t really understand what it means. Ewen
could elevate this experience into something for the industry to learn from, counseling on what it
means. He should be out there speaking about this to industry groups.” - Donna Sokolsky, CoFounder of Spark PR in San Francisco
Well it seems that many companies have learned from past successes and failures. One major
brand that has been doing a wonderful job is Coca-Cola.
In January 2010, The Coca-Cola Company created the “Happiness Machine” video with the help
of interactive marketing agency, Definition 6. The video featured a Coca-Cola vending machine
that dispensed a lot more than just a cold beverage. The film was shop at St. John’s University in
Queens, New York, using 5 strategically placed hidden cameras. The reactions from the students
were completely unscripted.
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D – Pop-up Retail
The video went viral and now has over 4.5
million views on YouTube. In May 2010, it
won a prestigious CLIO Gold Interactive
Award. The film had the highest penetration in
Brazil, Mexico, Japan and Russia.
After seeing the amazing ROI on this video,
Coca-Cola decided to continue the ‘Happiness’
theme by releasing several other videos using
the same concept.
Reason #1: Curiosity
One of the most alluring things about the pop-up retail model is the customer curiosity that it
arouses. Typically a pop-up is around for just a day or two, after which the store disappears, and
may resurface a few weeks or months later in a different format.
Human appreciation for an event or experience that is temporary is always higher than it is for
something that is always around. Come to think of it as a child I couldn’t wait to go watch the
circus, whereas a visit to the park could always wait. That’s because I knew that the circus would
be in town for just a few days, but the park would always be there.
Customer psychology is no different; people want more from a pop-up store, just because it
won’t be around forever. An Indian entrepreneur who experimented with the pop-up model when
he introduced authentic Japanese food stuffs in Mumbai felt the model worked very well.
He said that people who originally wanted to buy just one thing ended up buying two or more
things because they knew the store wouldn’t be around forever. They had to get their hands on
the stuff while it lasted and that time was pretty short.
Pop-ups are a great way to pique consumer curiosity, and some business owners have taken that
element one step further by keeping the offering a surprise up until the very last minute.
Savoy Truffle Supper Club is the brain-child of Alison and Guv Tyler: a by-invite-only soiree for
friends, based in London. The duo plays on the “impromptu” element by making each night at
the club is unique. The menu – and even the venue! – can change at the last minute, but what
doesn’t change is the stylish setting and the seasonal food.
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The best thing about the pop-up format is that as a business owner, you can alter whatever you
want, when you want and in the way that you want. Using this element of pop-up retail is the key
to piquing customer curiosity and drives up sales.
Reason #2: Cost Cuts
As a business owner, you will often find that passion, drive and great products aside business
mainly revolves around coping with financial constraints. Using pop-up retail is all about
addressing the economics of running an establishment.
Pop-ups can last for anything between a few hours, days or months. Setting up a pop-up helps
business owners to save time, money, resources like physical office space, furniture, fixtures,
equipment and salary.
When compared to setting up a full-fledged office or store – which is a move that calls for
considerable investment in fixed assets and attracts an amount of maintenance and working
capital requirements – pop-ups are economical alternatives to setting up shop.
Don’t make the mistake of seeing pop-up retail as only for small businesses, either; some of the
biggest brands in the world have also used pop-ups to reinvent their brands for just a fraction of
what it would have otherwise cost them.
An example of this is Procter & Gamble’s (PG) New York pop-up store. The company set up a
4,000 square foot space without any cash registers simply because everything was free—
including a full CoverGirl makeover and a Head & Shoulders wash and blow dry.
The store drew 14,000 visitors in the 10 days it was open. Do the math with regard to per person
contact cost – these are direct savings in advertisement expenses, manpower, and other resources
that a mass media campaign would call for!
Pop-ups thus represent a whole new selling experience, as they egg people on to experiment with
your product until you set up a full-fledged store. For the “try before you buy” types, pop-ups are
a great shopping experience.
Reason #3: Carving a Niche
In cash strapped times and economic downturns, and in markets where buyers are not really open
to trying new things, pop-up retail is a business mantra that enables new businesses to carve a
niche before they take the plunge.
For instance Bandit Queen, an uber-luxe home décor store created a pop-up during Diwali, the
Festival of Lights in Mumbai last year. The objective was to highlight their unique “glow-in-thedark” bed linen collection. Their pop-up even had an interesting name “Verandah in the City”.
Using the pop-up format served two purposes: showcasing wares, and as an arrangement for
tiding over customers till their new store opened in Lalbaug, Mumbai.
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Another established brand which has used pop-up retail to create a lasting impression is Levi
Strauss & Co. The company whose name has become synonymous with denim tweaked the popup model to set up a “workshop” at a former art gallery in Manhattan’s SoHo district.
The workshop spread over 10,000 square feet of bright white space, and was furnished with
benches made from cargo pallets. It focused on the art of (pre-digital) photography; visitors
could rent vintage cameras and sign up for free classes.
What was a denim company doing promoting cameras and photography?
The answer is that they were carving a niche of a different sort, as the theme for the workshop
was in line with the denim maker’s “Go Forth” advertising campaign, a celebration of
craftsmanship and collaboration that featured scenes of regular folk rebuilding a Rust Belt town.
According to the company the pop-up drew about 3,000 visitors per week. So did it serve its
purpose?
They say that success is exposure, and 3,000 people per week who are talking, texting and
tweeting about their experiences would do a lotto help Levi Strauss carve out this new niche.
Are you convinced about pop-up retail? If you are, then here are some ways in which you can get
started:
1. Table Space. Setting up a table gives you just enough room to display a limited variety of your
wares. Renting table space at exhibitions and even flea markets is easy and inexpensive.
2. Temporary Stall/Kiosks. These are the kiosks that spring up everywhere from time to time. The
sheer flexibility of these temporary stalls/kiosks is that you can set them up in different parts of
the City at different times and gain visibility among different types of customers.
3. Local Fairs or Village Markets. Sign up for a stall or table space at a local fair or village market;
this is an inexpensive way to make your presence felt, simply because of the number of people
who come out to see what’s on offer.
4. Brands on Wheels. Another option is to travel with your wares at different places during the
week or month in your own car or van. Alternatively, you could start on your own premises, and
then head out to a friend’s home/lawn/terrace space, followed by the local fair… all in the span
of a few days.
Going out of business in just a few days doesn’t sound like such a bad idea after all, does it?
Pop-up establishments are a great way of making inroads in to an already crowded retail space.
Definitely worth a shot if you are a small business owner struggling with the 3 C’s… curiosity,
costs and carving a niche.
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E – Food Trucks
Food Trucks: What Makes Them So Successful?
September 28th, 2011 |
Author: admin
People have always been able to buy food from street vendors, especially in big cities. No
metropolis would be complete without a corner vendor of hot dogs/waffles/crepes/noodles, and
around the world even the smallest operation can be successful with anything from a basket of
goods to sell to a pushcart to a…you guessed it…food truck. The newest craze in street-vending
and mobile food entrepreneurship is operating out of a food truck.
Definition: Food trucks combine transportation, marketing exposure, point of purchase sales,
and sometimes even a mobile kitchen set-up.
There has been a lot of hype about food trucks and what they bring to the culinary scene. Food
trucks are colorful additions to the culinary scene that have caught on quickly. The Food
Network has even aired two seasons of a reality television series called The Great Food Truck
Race, which included a battle between seven food trucks racing for victory (and $50,000).
The Denver Cupcake Truck,www.cake-crumbs.com
So, why are they so successful?
It’s a New and Exciting Concept
Food trucks are successful because of the novelty. Sure, we’ve seen ice cream trucks, milk
trucks, and even the Schwan truck for decades. But food trucks are different. Food trucks are
restaurants on wheels. They are more posh than a corner food stand, yet they still cater to the
grab-n-go nature of urban-dwelling Americans. They pull up to a curb, serve the hungry crowds,
and then pull away to find the next feeding ground.
They Bring Food to the People
Trying new restaurants can be a big commitment, especially when people aren’t sure what they
want to order, don’t know about the restaurant, or don’t want to venture outside their normal part
of town. A major part of the food truck concept is to find people where they are, and bring the
food to them.
There’s Less Financial Risk
With no need for a dining room, hosts or dedicated servers (usually the owners are also the
cooks, the servers, the cashiers and maybe even the drivers!), overhead is generally less than it
would be in a brick-and-mortar restaurant. This poses less financial risk to the operator, and
might even allow them to serve their food at lower prices than a comparable restaurant would.
This is a benefit for customers who might love the idea of a hamburger right outside their place
of work for a dollar less than they would pay at the restaurant 10 blocks away.
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They Be Hip to Social Media
Food trucks need to rely on a method of communication with potential customers so people
know where to find the truck on a daily basis, especially if the truck has varying routes. Many
food truck operators are savvy to social media tools like Twitter and Facebook, which offer
reliable methods of communicating their location in “real time,” meaning there is no lag time,
and people can look it up right away. With so many people spending time on these networks, it
makes sense to use them as a marketing tool.
It’s a Way to Grow Current Business
Instead of seeing food trucks as threats to their restaurant business, many traditional restaurant
operators have embraced the concept of the food truck and use them as opportunities to grow
current business. Cake Crumbs Bakery in Denver, Colorado and Steuben’s Food Service
restaurant, also in Denver, are two prime examples.
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F – Importance of Strategic Alliances
Strategic alliances is an agreement between one or more associations designed to further the strategic
interests of both or all parties. Strategic alliances are very popular with large businesses and
corporations, but they can be just as valuable to the BRZ.
There are many ways in which the BRZ can work with other businesses or people, ranging from shortterm joint ventures to more formal long-term commitments. The BRZ can form strategic alliances with
suppliers, with customers or with complementary businesses or with non-profit associations. The
possibilities are probably limited only by the imagination.
Alliances between partners consist of basically four necessary characteristics:
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The two or more companies remain independent even after forming an alliance to pursue their
objectives.
The companies involved in the alliance share the common benefit, competitive advantage and
manage the performance of task.
The key personnel get involved in achieving common objective by contributing on a regular basis
in one or more key areas of alliance, e.g. marketing, promotion.
Trust is another characteristic that can evolves and develop between partners during the
operation of an alliance which comes from the selection of right partner.
There are many benefits for the BRZ to form strategic alliances:
Gaining a competitive advantage
The synergies of strategic alliances can result in new clout in the market place and a distinct competitive
edge.
Opening new doors to growth
One of the main advantages of strategic alliances is that they allow for quicker growth and awareness.
Building credibility
Strategic alliances can enhance the credibility of both parties.
A 'one-stop shop' convenience
Strategic alliances can help offer customers the convenience of a 'one stop shop'.
Competing against other business areas
A strategic alliance may enable the BRZ to compete against a much larger business area because of the
combined resources.
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Tendering for bigger events
As a standalone the BRZ is limited to resources and funds required to attracting larger event venues. By
forming a strategic alliance with other associations, the BRZ can attract and tender for events as part of
a syndicate capable of handling all aspects of the work.
Sharing marketing costs
The attraction of strategic alliances for many rapid-growth technology companies in particular is that
alliances enable them to share marketing costs. Another example many businesses follow is to ask
suppliers to help with marketing, advertising or signage costs.
Gaining access to skills at bargain rates
Forming a strategic alliance could give the BRZ specialized skills and knowledge at a fraction of the
market rate. Without this alliance the BRZ might not otherwise be able to afford these skills.
Pooling complementary resources
Strategic alliances allow two or more businesses to share equipment, people and ideas. The synergies
allow the BRZ to progress the business development at a far faster rate than if it were functioning alone.
Reducing the risk
Sharing costs means reducing the risk for the businesses in the alliance and managing the uncertainty of
new launches. For example, the cost and risk (in dedicated resources) to introducing new events or
venues can be high.
Sharing customer databases
Strategic alliances can also lead to valuable new business. For examples, two businesses that offer
complementary products or services can promote each other's products to their respective customers
and markets.
Lowering supply costs
Forming a strategic alliance with a company with a stronger supply chain or a very advantageous
relationship with key suppliers could help lower BRZ’s costs. Or a particular project might need some
specialised technology, such as a machine or perhaps a software licence. The cost can be shared.
The strategic alliances would benefit the Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association through
partnering with other associations to marketing and promotional each other’s association.
Examples of benefits for the BRZ to create strategic alliances would be:
 Linking to strategic partner’s website and vise versa.
 Running joint events and sharing costs and resources.
 Partnering on advertising and sharing costs.
 Hosting joint open houses.
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G - Selecting alliance partners
Here are some of the key issues to consider:
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Check references first! Make sure the prospective alliance partner is respectable and solid. If
they're not, the association could seriously damage your credibility in the marketplace.
Clarify the objectives and the expected benefits. If you have very different agendas and
expectations, the alliance could be heading for trouble.
Write down what each side will do or contribute (such as an initial deposit if appropriate) so you
can measure progress and outcomes through regular meetings.
Make sure you like the people you're dealing with and share their values. Alliances work best
when there's open and honest communications between the parties. One expert on strategic
alliances comments that if he sees a strategic alliance agreement that's 30 pages long, full of
dense legalese text, he knows there's much less chance of the alliance working out than a onepage Heads of Agreement type document.
Don't wait for your phone to ring - be proactive. Strategic alliances are unlikely to happen unless
you make them happen.
Decide what you want to achieve. Ask: What if? What could we do? How could we speed up?
What would better our chances of getting what we want? What are we lacking? What synergies
could we develop? What can we get into?
Look for genuine synergies: the partnership should lead to something bigger than its parts and it
should be win/win for both sides.
Have a desired outcome in mind, in other words, what you want to achieve from establishing a
strategic alliance (distribution, complementary products/services)
It's a good idea to have an exit clause in case the alliance does not work out as expected.
Try a limited time period strategic partnership to test out the relationship.
If appropriate, each party might need to submit a deposit to get the project started (for
example, to prepare tender documents).
If appropriate, consider appointing a project manager for the duration of a project to coordinate
the efforts and contributions of both parties.
Make sure your branding is protected and enhanced by the alliance.
Protect your business. Clarify who will end up owning what in the way of intellectual property
through the alliance. Should your strategic partner have full access to your intellectual property,
or are there limitations?
Strategic Alliance Success Factor
1) Have a clear strategic purpose. Integrate the alliance with each partner's
strategy. Ensure that mutual value is created for all partners.
2) Find a fitting partner with compatible goals and complementary capabilities.
3) Identify likely partnering risks and deal with them when the alliance is formed.
4) Allocate tasks and responsibilities so that each partner can specialize in what it does best.
5) Create incentives for cooperation to minimize differences in corporate culture or organization
fit.
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6) Minimize conflicts among partners by clarifying objectives and avoiding direct competition in
the marketplace.
7) Exchange human resources to maintain communication and trust. Don't allow individual egos to
dominate.
8) Operate with long-term horizons. The expectation of future gains can
minimize short-term conflicts.
9) Develop multiple joint projects so that any failures are counterbalanced by
successes.
10) Agree upon a monitoring process. Share information to build trust and to
keep projects on target. Monitor customer responses and service complaints.
11) Be flexible in terms of willingness to renegotiate the relationship in terms of environmental
challenges and new opportunities.
12) Agree upon an exit strategy for when the partners' objectives are achieved or the alliance is
judged a failure.
Just a few suggestions for possible alliances would be:
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Live Local
Edmonton Economic Development
Edmonton Arts Council
Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
BOMA
WeBA
Katez G roup
The Business Link
Grant MacEwan University
CTV
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H – Suggested Strategic Alliances Contact Info
Live Local
5032 129 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5A 4N3
780 756-3663
Contact: Jessie Radies
[email protected]
Edmonton Economic Development
5th Floor 9990 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1Py
Contact: Ken Fiske
780 917-7623
[email protected]
Edmonton Arts Council
10440 108 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5H 3Z9
Contact: John Mahon
780 424-2787 Ext 223
[email protected]
Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
600 9990 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1P7
Contact: Martn Salloum
780 426-4620
[email protected]
BOMA
390 Standard Life 10405 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N4
Contact: Percy J. Woods
780 702-5007
[email protected]
WEBA
#200 10493 184 Street
Edmonton, Albertan T5S 2L1
Contact: Jim Wooley
780 455-9322
[email protected]
Katezgroup
1701 Bell Tower
10104 103 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 0H8
780 401-2745
[email protected]
The Business Link
10160 103 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 0X6
Contact: Cherie Klassen
780 422-7713
[email protected]
Help bring local producers to the area.
Promote the Market District to outside investors.
Promote business opportunities for upcoming
artisans.
Promote networking opportunities with other
mind like businesses.
Promote business opportunities to new
entrepreneurs.
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I – 2013 Board of Directors Endorsement
The Board of Directors of the Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association support and concur with
the goals and objectives as presented in this 2013 – 2015 Strategic Plan.
Name
CALDER, Don
Representing
The Calderco Foundation Ltd.
Chair
ALLEN, Dan
Alberta Print Experts
Vice - Chair
MCCOY, Ken
Royal LePage
Treasurer
KERELUK, Diane
Stony Plain Road and Area
Executive Director
DOWNIE, Greg
Allmake Vacuum Cleaners
LEBLANC, Jason
Planworks Design Studio Inc
MCCOTTER, Deb
ATB Financial
BARADZIEJ, Deborah
Trilogy Family Law
KESHWANI, Salim
Artic Auto Wash
BELJAN, Ivan
Beljan Development
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Signature