The document summarizes efforts to promote regional collaboration and economic development across seven counties in Eastern Iowa, known as Iowa's Creative Corridor. A taskforce developed a branding strategy centered around using "Creative Corridor" as a shared regional identity. They worked with a consulting firm that recommended the identity through surveys and focus groups. The identity highlights the region's strengths in innovation, culture and talent attraction. It encompasses the major employers and institutions across the seven counties. Upcoming plans include spreading stories of innovation and holding a Creative Week celebration to showcase regional successes.

1. Iowa’s Creative Corridor
Building regional pride, collaboration and our shared future

2. Our Mission
Build pride and buzz about our region through a
shared identity and collaborative efforts
 Attract and retain the best talent
 Grow more successful companies
 Raise awareness of each city’s successes
 Grow a strong national reputation for our
collective region

3. Talent Attracts Talent
Any college football
coach will tell you…
If we work together to highlight our successes more people
will be attracted to live here, work in your companies or
start their own.

4. Work to Date

5. Experts Agree
Like Austin, Boulder and Portland our area has
everything we need to become one of
the nation’s most thriving regions.

6. …but they also say
to capitalize on our assets
we need to
work more collaboratively
and
highlight our successes

7. We took these
suggestions
to heart.

8. Collaboration
To facilitate more regional collaboration,
we formed the Corridor Business Alliance.
Kirkwood
Kirkwood
UI Research SBDC
Mid Foundation
UI
American SBDC
ICAD
EDC CR Metro
Economic
Alliance
Iowa City
Area Chamber
UI
Alliant JPEC

9. A Proven Road Map
…and committed to focus on Michael Langley’s
5 Key Elements of a Thriving Region:
 A Strong Regional Identity Starting Here
 Skilled Workforce/Education
 Infrastructure
 Culture of Innovation/Entrepreneurship
 Culture of Inclusiveness + Diversity

10. Branding Taskforce
We gathered a cross-sector group to work
collaboratively on a regional identity.
Past + Present Members TysenKendig, U of Iowa
John Lohman, Corridor Business Journal Jordan Cohen, U of Iowa JoeRaso, ICAD
Chuck Peters, The Gazette Company Pam York, U of Iowa
David Hensley, U of Iowa Kristie Wetjen, Amana CVB
Dee Baird, CR Metro Economic Alliance Robyn Heper, HepkerDesigns
Tim Bradshaw, The Eastern Iowa Airport Shannon Meyer, CR Chamber
Chad Simmons, Diversity Focus
Marilee Fowler, CR CVB Investors
Kelly Hayworth, City of Coralville Alliant EnergylCedar Rapids Metro Economic
Kim Johnson, Kirkwood AlliancelCity of Cedar RapidslCity of Coralville City
Curt Nelson, EDC of MarionlCorridor Business JournallThe Eastern Iowa
Nancy Quellhorst, IC Area Chamber AirportlThe Gazette CompanylIowa City Area
Mark Nolte, ICAD Development GrouplIowa City Area Chamber of
Jessica Johnson, IA Cultural Corridor Alliance CommercelKirkwood Community CollegelLinn
Josh Schamberger, IC/Coralville CVB CountylMarion Chamber of
Diane Ramsey, Rockwell Collins CommercelMEDCOlPriority OnelUniversity of Iowa
Kate Minette, Pearson
Steve Erickson, HRB

11. Place Branding Experts
The taskforce partnered with North Star, a group
from Nashville that specializes in research and
strategy for community branding.
They went to work with surveys, focus groups and
on-the-ground research, engaging with 1500
people across the Corridor.

12. North Star found…
 Respondents support more regional collaboration
among community leaders, governments and
economic development organizations
 Each community in the region adds unique value
to the region, and a shared identity would
strengthen the whole and the each of its parts

13. For a Shared Identity
North Star recommended…
as a symbol to help us rally together as a region
and highlight our success stories.

14. Why Creative?
 Pays homage to the region’s historic strengths in
innovative manufacturing and technology
contributions in writing, culture and the arts
 Highlights our creative class and related assets
that attract and retain the talent we need for
today’s innovation economy

15. Why Corridor?
The common service area and labor shed
of our major employers and institutions.

16. Junior Achievement

17. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA

18. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10

19. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG

20. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood

21. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA

22. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA
United Way ECI

23. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA
United Way ECI
6th Judicial Dist

24. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA
United Way ECI
6th Judicial Dist
CR MSA

25. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA
United Way ECI
6th Judicial Dist
CR MSA
IC MSA

26. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA
United Way ECI
6th Judicial Dist
CR MSA
IC MSA
Priority 1

27. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA
United Way ECI
6th Judicial Dist
CR MSA
IC MSA
Priority 1
ICAD

28. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA
United Way ECI
6th Judicial Dist
CR MSA
IC MSA
Priority 1
ICAD
United Way Johnson
Co

29. Junior Achievement
ECICOG RPA
IWD Region 10
ECICOG
Kirkwood
Grant Wood AEA
United Way ECI
6th Judicial Dist
CR MSA
IC MSA
Priority 1
ICAD
United Way Johnson Co
Metro Planning Orgs

30. Iowa’s Creative Corridor
a geographic regional economy
Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn,
and Washington County
(4,400 square miles)
home to over
445,000 creative residents

31. Now that we have a
shared identity
Let’s all use it

32. Use the Logo
The regional logo can go side-by-side your own
showing your pride and our collective strength
proud to be part of

33. Wherever water tower
You See Fit
website
newsletter
events
window sign

34. Get the logo + ideas
CreativeCorridor.co/Logo

35. Coming in 2013
Stories of Innovation Creative Week
A project to spread A week-long
the word about region-wide
our region’s celebration of our
success stories. successes.
Stories like Coming
MobileDemand Fall 2013
see the whole 2013 plan at creativecorridor.co/2013plan

36. We hope you’ll join us!
Let’s grow our region together, work more collaboratively and
build a shared sense of place.