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In December 2016, Formation was hired by the Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District, located in Marietta, Ohio, to assist with a rebranding and naming effort in anticipation of their 50th anniversary. This regional council of government serves eight counties and multiple municipalities. Their name no longer reflected who they were or where they were going and their brand was stuck in an earlier decade that resulted in a lack of confidence among funders and economic development partners.
The Formation team traveled to Marietta to hold two workshops, conduct one-on-one interviews with leadership and key staff, and perform market research. This initial discovery phase resulted in a keen understanding of their regional context, organizational history and future vision of the organization.
From there, the Formation team was able to develop a communication strategy that included internal and external talking points, develop a new brand, facilitate communication with stakeholders to determine the final selection, and assist in rolling out the brand to their constituents.
Buckeye Hills launched their new brand in April 2017 and have seamlessly taken the recommendations for comprehensive communications and integrated them into their day-to-day operations. They have been able to use their new brand to gain access into economic development conversations and fee-for-service avenues that were previously out of reach. Formation is very proud of the success this group continues to have in their region.
