Input sought for City of Ritzville branding strategy

The Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Ritzville and the Adams County Development Council are leading efforts to develop a branding marketing strategy.

The groups are joining with Arnett Muldrow and Associates to establish a single brand that can be used by businesses and organizations to promote our history, quality of place, lifestyle, culture, and diversity.

The result will be a unique identity that will encompass the city at every level.

The onsite team will be Tripp Muldrow, Arnett Muldrow and Associates Principal, and Amy McGuffin who is the Kittitas Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director and Ritzville Native.

Arnett Muldrow and Associates is a town-planning firm that specializes in economic development and community branding with extensive experience in community branding across the country, including similar work in nine Washington communities.

Two of those communities include Ellensburg and Cle Elum, located in Kittitas County.

“Branding is a marketing strategy that involves creating a differentiated name and image – often using a logo and/or tag line — in order to establish a presence in the consumer’s mind and attract and keep customers,” said Muldrow.

“In the City’s case, it’s for attracting and keeping citizens, business, and industry.”

The kickoff for the Ritzville Marketing and Branding Strategy campaign will be a series of roundtable input sessions and a public forum held April 26-27.

The hour-long public input forum will take place at 7 p.m. on April 26 at the Washington Association of Wheat Growers in Ritzville.

The roundtable meetings will include themes and specific discussion topics.

Although a steering committee is canvassing the community for volunteers, individuals with an interest in any of the topics are invited to attend.

The themes and topics for the focus groups include agriculture, business, leadership, youth and young professionals, and quality of life.

The agriculture discussion will cover how farming has evolved in the community, and what aspects make the city a desirable location for agricultural business and tourism.

During the business round table, participants will focus on the changes in the shopping and dining pattern in the area, as well as how Ritzville currently markets the city.

At the leadership roundtable, participants will discuss what positive aspects make Ritzville a desirable place to live, as well as reasons why an individual would choose Ritzville to live over other places within the state or country.

In the youth and young professionals roundtable, they will discuss what young people think of the community and what they do for fun.

The quality of life roundtable will focus on the unique attractions of Ritzville, and the art, culture, events, programs and recreational opportunities available in the community.

A steering committee is continuing to canvass the community for volunteers and stakeholders to attend the themed roundtables and the public forum.

Reservations are required so that organizers may plan for room set up.

If interested in participating, contact Julie Flyckt with Adams County Development Council at [email protected] or 660-0966.