Help Tell the Authentic Story of City of Indio

Indio is seeking residents’ ideas to help tell the city’s authentic story as it markets the area to visitors

INDIO – This community. the “City of Festivals” is the largest in the Coachella Valley and is the 30th fastest-growing city in America. But what is its authentic story?

Indio is the original “Hub of the Valley,” and today continues its legacy as the center of activity in the region.

Nearly 1.4 million people visit the community every year to attend the most famous music, food, and arts festivals in the world. Popular travel site, Trivago, named Indio as a rising global destination and Matador Network ranked Indio as the No. 1 City in the Nation for Live Music. It hosts the Coachella Valley and Arts Festival, Indio Southwest Arts Festival, Stagecoach Country Music Festival, Indio International Tamale Festival, Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival, and California BBQ State Championship.

How should all of these signature events — and beyond — be marketed at home and beyond?

To help determine this, the City of Indio has partnered with leading firm North Star on a research initiative for marketing the area to visitors, residents and businesses in the year 2021 and beyond.

The research and scope of work includes strategy and creative elements to be completed over the course of 20 weeks.  The  city has paid North Star $24,834 for the initial phase of research, insights and strategy, with additional phases to come.

“We believe this is an investment which will pay dividends in marketing and promoting the city in the years to come,”

The research and scope of work includes strategy and creative elements to be completed over the course of 20 weeks.  The survey is one part of this overall project, so it is hard to break out, but the city has paid North Star $24,834 for the initial phase of research, insights and strategy, with additional phases to come.

“We believe this is an investment which will pay dividends in marketing and promoting the city in the years to come,” Brooke Beare, Director of Communications & Marketing,” told Uken Report

According to North Star CEO Will Ketchum, at the heart of Indio’s message should be its competitive differentiator—in other words, what makes the community special, so that it can stand out in the marketplace.  One of the best places to find that figurative nugget of marketing gold is in the hearts and minds of the people who call Indio home.

To this end, North Star developed a customized Communitywide online survey.  The questionnaire has been carefully crafted to determine Indio’s strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities.  All who visit, live and/work in Indio are invited and encouraged to participate in this important initiative.

The Survey can be found in English and Spanish by clicking here and can be completed online and submitted electronically.  Printed surveys will also be available at Indio City Hall, the Indio Senior Center, Lights at Indio Golf Course, Indio Teen Center and Indio Chamber of Commerce between June 29 and July 19, 2021.

“We have partnered with more than 250 communities across North America, and I can’t emphasize enough the importance of insights gleaned from community members,” Ketchum said.

“We want to hear from everyone in Indio about what makes our community special,” added Indio Mayor Elaine Holmes.  “It is important for us to celebrate what we love about our community and share that with others.”

To learn more about Indio’s identity initiative, click here.

To learn more about North Star, click here.