Marketing and Brand Development Consultant Services

The Vendor is required to provide consultant to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to include evaluation and potential redesign of our brand, including the organization’s logo, tagline, colors, fonts, program branding, and associated materials; as well as communication services.
- This effort will support the launch of a newly formed Marketing Department and will guide internal and external communications for years to come.
- The new brand identity should resonate with residents, businesses, visitors, and potential investors, fostering a stronger sense of civic pride and attracting future opportunities.
- create a consistent brand that can be easily and effectively utilized across multiple graphic identity applications and communicative mediums such as city signs, letterheads, social media platforms (including Facebook and Instagram), marketing materials for events, the city website, and any other defined.
- Branding Services: 
•    The city requests proposals by qualified individuals or firm(s) to research, create, and develop an implementation plan for a branding initiative for the city.
•    Create a unified, defined, and clear message that will market the city locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally as a great place to live, work, play, and do business; a place where innovation and tradition meet; and a hub for economic growth and cultural enrichment.
•    The brand must be authentic and resonate with citizens representing diverse neighborhoods, businesses from various sectors including tech and insurance, leaders from cultural institutions like representatives from organizations like the city promise, and community groups involved in city events.
- Public Relations Services:
•    Develop a strategic public relations plan that includes media relations strategies for local, regional, and national outlets, community outreach strategies to engage Hartford residents, and a web, email, and social media content strategy and timeline for implementation.
•    Recommend public relations and publicity efforts to supplement paid advertising, including potential cooperative partnerships with local organizations and businesses and strategies for developing op-ed pieces and feature stories.
•    Develop types of stories process to pitch targeted media outlets including, but not limited to, local and regional television, print publications, and online news platforms.
- Marketing (Digital and Traditional) Services:
•    Conduct an audit of the current city website (www.hartfordct.gov) and social media presence, providing recommendations for updates, improvements, or the creation of a more dynamic website to align with the new brand.
•    Develop a media kit to include key marketing messages and materials for various target audiences (businesses, residents, tourists).
•    Provide guidance and recommendations for coordinating advertising services, including the creation, preparation, and placement of advertising in various media outlets (digital, print, and potentially broadcast).
•    Provide creative ideas for unique partnerships with local businesses, cultural organizations and community groups to leverage resources and amplify the city’s message.
•    Provide data and metric reporting recommendations for tracking social media engagement and the effectiveness of marketing efforts.
•    Develop media training for designated city staff.
•    Provide all other related services necessary to fulfill the city’s marketing and public relations needs in alignment with the new brand.
•    Create process and marketing continuities along platforms in multiple departments.
- Optional Video Production Services:
•    Concepts for developing and producing promotional videos about the city that can be used for marketing and promotional opportunities across various platforms. Include potential themes that highlight city key attributes.
•    Outline a potential plan for developing a series of short videos that highlight and promote the city and city-funded projects and programs for use on the city’s website and social media sites. (The videos should present an overview of the city, portraying its residential and business growth, history, capital investments, and arts and culture offerings in an engaging and informative way).
•    The city with the placement of all produced videos on the city’s website, social media sites, YouTube, and other applicable media outlets.
•    Video production services, please detail your capabilities and experience in producing all elements of the video(s), which may include, but are not limited to: outlines, storyboards, scripting, voicing, interviews, lighting, b-roll to support interviews and script, shooting, lighting, graphics, animation, editing, coding, and music.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year