North Star BrandAMP report edited by Chuck Peters, January 21, 2012 Regionalism is critical The world s top

competitors and collaborators are not cities, states, or countries per se. They are regions. Regions are not defined by political boundaries, but by economic resources such as industry concentrations, labor markets and common infrastructure. Regions vary by their relative strengths and weaknesses from which regional specializations and comparative advantages emerge creating spikes in the competitive marketplace. The perceived zero-sum game between communities within a region trying to out-compete one another can and must be transformed into the pursuit of integration for the purpose of mutual gain. (p 63) Instead of competing for talent, technology and capital as single entities, the many moving parts of the Creative Corridor must begin to drive one another s prosperity forward. Most ICC communities by themselves stand little chance of competing with leading economic regions within the global economy. But clusters of ICC communities, functioning regionally are large enough to achieve a critical mass of companies, institutions, infrastructure and talent yet still small enough to provide the close interactions among people, firms and organizations that drives innovation. Regional innovation is the key to economic prosperity. (p 64) Note our critical differentiators are the research institution of the University of Iowa, coupled with one of the world s best community colleges, set in a compilation of neighborhoods that offer a variety of living conditions and experiences that are easily accessible. This geographical and demographical advantage is nested within a culture of innovation the ability to create and bring new things to life. Note As the world is undergoing major transformation in its critical systems of education, health care, economic development and government, we need to learn to play more effectively in this new environment. See Schwab s Davos paper copied below.

Regionalism does not have a natural constituency today, and needs to be led by critical players, such as the University of Iowa and Kirkwood and the economic development organizations

Many in The Corridor do not understand or recognize the benefits of regional promotions. There is fear by some, particularly smaller communities, that by communicating regionally, there will be a dilution of local personality and identity. Many identify conflicting goals and competitiveness as the main reason regional efforts struggle here. There is a lack of meaningful cooperation and collaboration among Corridor communities and organizations. Broadly regionalism is seen as a great opportunity in the Cedar Rapids Iowa City area, benefiting business and industry as well as quality of life interests. Many see it as a way to broaden the economy but fault their leaders commitment to the pursuit. Most recognize the savings in time and resources that communicating regionally can provide. But there are not quite enough advocates and influencers in place yet. Many are hopeful that this project will advance regional efforts significantly. Having the power to generate great ideas AND the expertise to realize the practical application of great ideas within a few feet or miles of each other positions The Corridor as a national leader in creativity, innovation and discovery. There are many aspects that contribute to a competitive region, and The Corridor has a good foundation for most of those interests. Unfortunately regionalism has not been fully embraced here and actions sometimes contradict pledges of cooperation. But there is a growing group of regional advocates (as evidenced by this project). In branding The Corridor, the quicksilver we are trying to capture and leverage is what occurs differently when this region interacts together and works as a whole. The whole is certainly greater than the sum of its parts here. The regional brand should elevate The Corridor from an instrument of physical transportation to an instrument of metaphysical transformation. So instead of I-380, The Corridor becomes the supportive, idea-rich, innovative, and creative environment where entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, students, teachers, artists, biologists, writers, inventors, and engineers can transform their knowledge into

power, their learning into great living, and any of their dreams into reality whether personal or professional. (pages 6&7)

STRATEGIC BRAND PLATFORM: North Star funnels these strategic insights for the brand into a single sentence, the brand platform. The brand platform is used as a filter for the formation of creative concepts and implementation initiatives. All communications, actions and product development should connect to the essence of this relevant and defining statement. The platform informed the creative brand expressions and brand action implementation ideas for The Corridor. Target Audience: For those seeking a place with infinite possibility, Frame-of-Reference: the region from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City along Interstates 380 and 80 in America s Heartland Point-of-Difference: is the conduit for a transformative reaction that sparks knowledge to power, learning to living and dreams to reality Benefit: so each individual, each idea, each business and each city is exponentially more successful. (p8) Note - For us to live this brand promise, we need to have an overarching narrative, a shared purpose to create a joyful, collaborative place of co-creation bringing new ideas to life through effective implementation. Creative Corridor Brand Narrative The rich, fertile fields of amber grain belie the roaring waves of cultural, technological and industrial impact that ripple across the country. The winds of change blow out from east central Iowa across the prairies and states to touch the far corners of the world. In fact, listen closely and you can hear the voice of Iowa s Creative Corridor all the way from the East Coast to the Far East. Because, here, the evolution and growth of pioneering ideas that advance and improve life are the norm. Every day, from the books we read and the films we see to the foods we eat and the healthcare we receive, Iowa s Creative Corridor touches our lives

in many thousands of ways. By cultivating a culture of innovation, the seeds are sown for transformational thinking. And ideas are grown that sustain the world. In the urban and rural areas that lay along the corridor between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, knowledge gets turned into power by a thriving creative network and powerfully connected entrepreneurial community that nurtures and supports idea generation and execution. A remarkable combination of resources has conspired to make Iowa s Creative Corridor a wellspring of intellectual and artistic pursuits, as well as science, commerce and industry. The highly esteemed Iowa Writers Workshop, and iconic American brands such as Quaker Oats, General Mills and Rockwell Collins, have generated a strong current of talent and influence that continues to flow consistently from the region, touching and persuading lives of people everywhere. The mark they have left on our academic, literary, business and scientific landscapes is indelible. Recognized as a center of creative and economic renaissance, Iowa s Creative Corridor draws innovators ranging from Pulitzer-Prize winning writers to research engineers and digital cottage industries to some of the world s most advanced companies. Here, their inspiration and energy are ignited, new directions are encouraged and positive change is generated. A seed planted here in the rich soil of Iowa s Creative Corridor not only grows to its potential but its fruit finds its way to the far corners of the globe while its roots stabilize, support, and sustain an entire region. (p 11) Global Transformation From the preparation for the World Economic Forum to be held in Davos, Switzerland this month (bolding with underlining by Chuck): The Great transformation Shaping New Models 23 October 2011 copied from http://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annualmeeting-2012

Some introductory ideas by Professor Klaus Schwab on the theme of the Annual Meeting 2012

Over the last three years, the world has been engulfed by political, economic and, particularly, financial crisis management. We have lost sight of the fundamental transformation that the world is undergoing and of where conventional modes of decision-making have become outdated. What we clearly need are new models for global, regional, national and business decision-making which truly reflect that the context for decision-making has been altered in unprecedented ways. Let me outline the four new models I consider musts if we are to successfully push beyond the current impasse in addressing the critical challenges. First, a new model is needed to account for the fundamental power shifts that have already and are continuing to take place. I am thinking not only of the seismic shifts of geopolitical and geo-economic power from West to East and from North to South, but also of the need to integrate new non-state actors who want to have their say and the capability to do so. Power has become much more distributed. Thus, we need new models where governance processes on all levels integrate these newcomers in the most collaborative way. In the old world, it was hard power hierarchical power that was decisive. Then came soft power the capability to have a convincing message. But today, we need to integrate empowered newcomers in what I call collaborative power the capability to exercise collaborative power will determine the future on the business, national, regional and global levels. A second new model is needed to acknowledge that we live together in a multicultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious world. Prevailing values will have to increasingly accommodate diversity with substantial challenges for national and individual identities. We will only make lasting progress by recognizing that we are different but interdependent. Thus, we have to cultivate a much greater feeling of regional and global togetherness. A third new model is needed to seriously address the social impact of globalization and the new wave of technological innovation. Growing inequities within and between countries and rising unemployment are no longer sustainable and are triggering social protests, as witnessed throughout the world. We must rethink our traditional notions of economic growth and global competitiveness, not only by focusing on growth rates and market penetration, but also,

equally if not more importantly by assessing the quality of economic growth. How is growth to be achieved in the future? How sustainable is it and at what cost to the environment? How are the gains distributed? What has become of the family and community fabric, as well as of our culture and heritage? The time has come to embrace a much more holistic, inclusive and qualitative approach to economic development, based on the stakeholder and not on a pure shareholder concept. We need a fourth new model for job creation. The global economy is growing more slowly, productivity is still making substantial progress and unemployment is skyrocketing. We also know that hundreds of millions of people will enter the job market in the next decade. In addition to the productivity increases driven by greater resource efficiency, the industry model is changing and moving upscale, where fewer people can produce much more value. The key to mitigating a catastrophic situation is to provide young people with the capability to create their own jobs: to move from the pure concept of unemployment to the concept of micro-entrepreneurship. This will require fundamental changes in educational systems, nurturing a societal spirit of entrepreneurial risk-taking, allowing true gender equality to integrate the other half of hidden talents and making innovation and the support of innovation a key imperative in public and private life. The success of any national and business model for competitiveness in the future will be less based on capital and much more based on talent. I define this transition as moving from capitalism to talentism . I have outlined only four of the new models that form part of the great transformation regionally and globally to illustrate that we are at a historic inflection point. In Davos, we will discuss many more aspects of the great transformation, particularly how they create new business models. To respond to the expectations of the young generation, we have to provide them with the hope and confidence that they will not have to pay for the mistakes and excesses of the present generation. There is a tipping point where velocity, interconnectivity and complexity become so pervasive that the whole system collapses, regardless of whether certain elements at the surface have been addressed.

The Annual Meeting 2012 in Davos is the place where we must individually and collectively have the foresight, the commitment and collaborative power to shape the new models needed to safeguard our global future, and to respond to the expectations and hopes of the hundreds of millions of people who presently feel left out.