Placentia City Council
AGENDA REPORT
TO: CITY COUNCIL
VIA: CITY ADMINISTRATOR
FROM: COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING MANAGER
DATE: APRIL 16, 2024
SUBJECT: STUDY SESSION: FIVE-YEAR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
STRATEGIC PLAN
FISCAL
IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact associated with the recommended actions.
SUMMARY:
Pursuant to City Council policy direction, Staff solicited competitive proposals to create a five (5) year Strategic Communications and Marketing Plan. The Communications and Marketing Plan presented is a dynamic, living document designed to evolve alongside the City's communication needs and advancements in communication technology. To create this plan, the City of Placentia hired Communications LAB, a public affairs and community outreach firm, to conduct a thorough, unbiased communications assessment that yielded the recommendations to be adopted in this Plan.
This Study Session will provide the City Council with the results of the communications assessment and a draft of the Plan. Based upon City Council direction and feedback, Staff will finalize the Plan and begin prioritization of recommendations and objectives listed in the Plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
1. Receive and file the Staff Report and Presentation; and
2. Review and provide feedback to Staff and the Consultant on the draft Plan; and
3. Adopt the official Five (5) Year Communications and Marketing Strategic Plan, pending City Council feedback.
STRATEGIC PLAN STATEMENT
This item conforms to Strategic Plan Goal 4 and Objectives 4.1 and 4.2 of Increasing Community Engagement.
City Council Agenda
April 16, 2024
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to City Council policy direction, Staff solicited competitive proposals to create a five (5) year Strategic Communications and Marketing Plan. On November 7, 2023, the City Council awarded a contract to Communications Lab to prepare the Communications and Marketing Plan.
The objective of the Plan is to provide a roadmap to improved communication efforts and efficiencies and a vision for the Communications and Marketing Division structure. It will also guide the City in building upon current progress toward developing premier Citywide communications and branded content for the Placentia community that addresses a wide range of communications preferences.
As the City of Placentia continues to progress, so does the City's approach to communication. The City of Placentia Communications and Marketing Plan presented hereafter is a dynamic, living document designed to evolve alongside the City's communication needs and advancements in communication technology.
Communication is fundamental to the vitality of the community. By engaging with residents, business leaders, visitors, and other audiences of interest, the City of Placentia seeks to foster informed participation, elevate community pride, and enhance overall livability. Recognizing the pivotal role of effective communication, the City has crafted this Plan to engage and inform, ensuring our efforts are both efficient and comprehensive.
This Plan provides a snapshot of the City's current communication objectives and a cohesive strategy to better serve Placentia's community. This forward -thinking Plan addresses various communications facets of the City, its departments, services, and programs.
To create this plan, Communications LAB conducted a thorough, unbiased communications assessment, which yielded the recommendations to be adopted in it.
During the assessment process, several ascertainments were conducted to gauge stakeholder perceptions of the City's existing communications and to identify opportunities for growth.
The research steps included:
• Evaluation of City marketing materials (printed and electronic communications) • Evaluation of the City style guide
• Interviews with members of the Placentia City Council • Interviews with department directors and senior staff • Interviews with community partners
• Online survey of residents
• Online survey of City employees
• Assessment of City social media accounts and analytics • Assessment of communications tools, methods, and frequency The Plan seeks to make City communications Proactive, Frequent, Transparent, Timely, Professional, and Collaborative, and outlines sixteen (16) objectives with subsequent recommendations for doing so.
City Council Agenda
April 16, 2024
With these concepts as the guide, this Plan:
• Outlines the City of Placentia's communications goals. • Outlines the City of Placentia's Mission and Vision, to which communications should align. • Identifies and defines Placentia's target audiences.
• Identifies and defines Placentia's communication tools. • Outlines roles and responsibilities.
• Outlines strategies and recommendations to pursue.
• Establishes the authority of the Communications and Marketing Division. • Establishes a new expanded style guide to allow department uniqueness. • Establishes a social media oversight structure and metrics.
Prepared by:
Nicolette Drulias
Reviewed and approved:
JeannettOe�a
Communications and Marketing Manager Deputy Director of Administrative Services Reviewed and approved:
Damien R. Arrula
City Administrator
Attachments:
1. Presentation
2. Draft Five (5) Year Communications and Marketing Strategic Plan