Strategy and branding to attract a new generation of talent.

The City of Scottsdale engaged Resonance to build an economic development strategy and a new brand identity for Choose Scottsdale, its economic development organization, in order to refresh the organization’s image and grow business development and investment.

The strategy uncovered two key opportunities, IT and software: 25% of all those jobs in Arizona are located in Scottsdale, making it attractive to skilled workers, innovative companies and prospective residents. The strategy also made it clear that the branding and messaging of the Economic Development office was lagging behind the generally younger audiences that would be attracted by the dynamic tech sector. Resonance used the strategy as the basis for new branding and an economic development language that would reflect the city’s evolving identity from a place centered on tourism and retirees to a dynamic region of opportunity and forward-leaning businesses.

The brand platform we created reflected a destination that’s both more innovative and tech-oriented than originally perceived; at the same time, Scottsdale enjoys an enviably balanced lifestyle that would appeal to younger residents, slowly giving the city a new face. Under the brand positioning “Thrive Meets Drive”, we created a logo for the Economic Development office that perfectly combines the corporate rigor of Choose Scottsdale with colors, type and a graphic vibe designed to catch the eye of a new generation.