A strategic foundation for planning and making decisions.
That’s a way to describe “truJAX,” the latest idea to improve Jacksonville’s marketing to the world. The research report that backs up the new plan is scheduled to be unveiled to the media today at the JAX Chamber.
The project was funded by $25,000 contributions from each of the city’s independent authorities — Jacksonville Aviation Authority, JEA, Jacksonville Port Authority and Jacksonville Transportation Authority — and $25,000 from the city.
“We’ve been adrift in defining what we stand for. This is a strategic foundation for planning and making decisions,” said Will Ketchum, CEO and president of Burdette Ketchum creative agency, when he presented the study to Downtown Vision Inc.’s board of directors.
The study was done by Nashville-based North Star Destination Strategies. Over a period of several months, North Star representatives came to Jacksonville for site visits and meetings with business and government leaders.
He said their observations led to identifying four “distinguishing assets” that set Jacksonville apart from other cities vying for economic development and tourism:
• The city’s urban park system, beaches, the St. Johns River and outdoor activities create a diverse natural environment.
• An “entrepreneurial attitude,” businesses are nurtured and a sense that “you can do it here.”
• A history of active civic engagement where opinions are freely expressed.
• A sense in the community that Jacksonville is “the underdog that can’t be stopped,” Ketchum said.
He described the city as having the opportunity to become “the world capital of what if and why not?”
The study determined that Jacksonville has a culture of open attitudes that encourage debate, it has transparency in government and a balance between commercial and environmental issues, said Ketchum.
Visit Jacksonville, the convention and visitor’s bureau for Jacksonville and the Beaches, plans to help deliver the consistent message to markets outside North Florida. Its president, Paul Astleford, said the study can help lead the city toward a unified voice and message.
He’s confident implementing what the study identified as priorities will have long-term benefits for Visit Jacksonville, as well as all government and private agencies that promote economic development.
Astleford said while Visit Jacksonville has for years marketed the beach, water activities and ecotourism to business and leisure travelers, allying with truJAX will help the marketing effort expand to include the broader aspect of Northeast Florida.
Ketchum said the study’s conclusions are based in part on community input — specifically the JAX2025 report published in 2013 by Jacksonville Community Council Inc.
More than 16,000 people contributed opinions for the study.The report targeted 10 areas: education; economy; distinctive neighborhoods and a vibrant Downtown; arts and entertainment; a diverse and inclusive community; a place where people matter; a clean and green city; exemplary governance; transportation; and a healthy community.
“The vision that came out of that process was the genesis of truJAX,” said JCCI President Clayton Davis. “One of the themes (of JAX2015) was the need to better identify Jacksonville as a means to make the city more prosperous and improve the quality of life.”
Davis said the unveiling, plus a truJax website, will be the first step in getting the community to “buy in.”
“This could be one of the most meaningful moments in the history of Jacksonville,” Astleford said.
The next step, Davis said, will be to form a committee of representatives from business, government and the nonprofit sector to oversee the future implementation of the truJAX concepts.
The effort also may lead to a refinement of the JAX2025 vision.
“We hope to roll out a more narrow focus to get a more tangible, unifying goal to focus an effort on achieving an improved community by 2025,” Davis said.
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