Thursday, May 1, 2025

Escanaba Opens its Doors to Entrepreneurs and Gladstone Updates Brand

Two interesting changes which could have impact on growth prospects and the area's appeal to investors. First, the City of Escanaba opens it doors to entrepreneurs and that is a sign that increased investment and downtown interest could help improve the community significantly. Secondly, Gladstone rebrands, making their brand simpler and easier to understand to help attract market interest.

Escanaba Opens Doors to Entrepreneurs:

The video explains their focus around skilled trades, industry/manufacturing, and entrepreneurship

Escanaba Entrepreneurs Video

For Michigan communities there  are some suggestions that came from the study below, "1) utilize organizations, businesses, and institutions within and surrounding the community, (2) engage in long-term planning and visioning for better development outcomes, (3) support sustainability initiatives and smart growth principles, (4) invest in networking infrastructure to connect to the digital economy, and (5) take advantage of rural-specific loans, grants, and programs through the federal or state government (White, 2022, abstract). 

Small Town and Rural Economic Development: A Case Study Analysis of Strategies for Success Analysis of Strategies for Success 

Gladstone Rebrands:

Gladstone's new logo/brand is a little simpler to understand. One might think of this as memory and recall. As people interact with Gladstone and have experiences, they will neural code that information with the brand (hopefully). One might also consider coordinating the brands in the area to create a theme that represents Delta County (big picture story that can be remembered.).

Gladstone Rebrands

There is an indication according to this study that city branding can impact price of hotels as well as attract investors, tourism and students (Herget, Putru & Abrham, 2015). (Thinking Bay College and other training programs).  I would think of this as the overall enhancement of value for the area even though the study focused on more of an objective metric such as hotel price (In research you have to pick an accessible data points).

City branding and its economic impacts on tourism

Herget, Jan & Petru, Zdenka & Abrhám, Josef. (2015). City branding and its economic impacts on tourism. ECONOMICS & SOCIOLOGY. 8. 119-126. 10.14254/2071-789X.2015/8-1/9. 

White, K. (2022). Small Town and Rural Economic Development: A Case Study Analysis of Strategies for Success Analysis of Strategies for Success. SPNHA Review, 18 (1). 

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