Edmonton Global

Edmonton Global before Incite

Edmonton Global is a not-for-profit corporation, recently established by 15 regional municipalities to advance economic development and cooperation for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. The corporation is focused on transformational economic development, where they catalyze local, regional and federal investments in infrastructure, technology, and innovation to promote a stronger Canadian value proposition for investors.

The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is a business location of choice for global investment, collaboratively built on regional assets. Edmonton Global strengthens Edmonton Metropolitan Region’s global competitiveness, growth, and innovation. Edmonton Global is supported primarily by the 15 regional municipalities, as well as the province of Alberta and the Government of Canada.

Edmonton Global sought support for positioning the Edmonton Region in key markets and sectors to drive global investment and business opportunity. Incite was engaged by Edmonton Global in Fall 2018 to lead its Phase I market positioning work.

Edmonton Global with Incite

The Phase I market positioning work included three primary deliverables: Environmental Scan and Stakeholder Engagement (stakeholder assessment, workshop facilitation and alignment); Market Research (qualitative feedback); and Positioning and Strategy Recommendations (messaging, positioning and foundational marketing strategies).

Following the conclusion of Phase I, Incite was engaged in winter 2018 for Phase II, which included: Visual Brand Development (distinctive visual identity); Corporate Messaging (toolkit including brand architecture, brand personality, and brand experience guidelines); and Marketing Collateral (stationery package, print materials, presentation template, website design concept, and digital assets).

Through our work with Edmonton Global, Incite:

Worked effectively with a wide range of stakeholder groups to establish trust and buy-in, and now has established relationships with key players throughout the Edmonton region (many of which will prove valuable in supporting EEDC’s economic development strategy engagement);
Engaged the business community in a meaningful discussion about the needs of the Edmonton region and our long-term economic opportunities;
Leveraged a mix of qualitative and quantitative research to help drive strategic decisions, and can use this research to guide efforts in the EEDC engagement;
Developed a visual brand aligning with the positioning and strategy, and materials to deliver the messaging to stakeholders in and out of the Edmonton region;
Developed marketing materials to align with the new brand direction, creating all the tools required to present the brand in a consistent and aligned way to all stakeholders; and
Executed the engagement on short notice, delivering on time and on budget.

Our goal was to create alignment by connecting with regional stakeholders to inform the development of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region brand and position. Working with multiple key stakeholders, it was critical to ensure all voices were heard and engaged in the process.

- Trish Kushniruk, Partner & Principal, Incite

Outcomes

Incite’s work helped Edmonton Global to:

Better understand current state in terms of economic development efforts and market readiness of its 15 shareholders and associated regional partners;
Build better relationships with its key stakeholders, helping to establish trust and confidence in the role Edmonton Global will play moving forward;
Confirm the Edmonton region’s strengths and weaknesses as they relate to FDI and business attraction;
Understand and communicate the value of both the Edmonton region and Edmonton Global as a new organization;
Identify opportunities to position the Edmonton region and areas where additional research and data are required to build a strong market position that is competitive globally; and
Create a new visual identity with brand guidelines and collateral materials aligning with the overall position.

Incite played a significant role in the inception of Edmonton Global. From stakeholder engagement and market research, to supporting our full brand development, Incite was able to help us navigate this multi-phase project into a well-positioned brand.