The Downtown Marketing Collaborative has launched the "Downtown Is On Fire" marketing and awareness campaign focus on the promotion of activities, events and attractions in the Downtown core.
Advertising, on-street graphics, promotions and an interactive website, downtownisonfire.com, are all part of the campaign. The collaborative has raised more than $250,000 for the effort, according to a news release.
Street displays and graphics will be visible Downtown early in September, as will advertisements and promotions. It is scheduled to run through September.
Its success will be measured through an annual Downtown marketing survey and attendance at events.
Wingard Creative, a Riverside-based marketing and advertising agency, created the campaign after a bidding process.
The collaborative was founded as part of the JAX Chamber but is now a separate entity that comprises the efforts of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, Downtown Vision Inc., the Jacksonville Civic Council, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, chamber, JEA, NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association Northeast Florida Chapter, SMG, Visit Jacksonville, El Ad Florida LLC, Jack Meeks & Associates CPAs and Akerman.
"Private support is needed to build awareness for the greater Jacksonville community," said Bill Prescott, a founding board member of the collaborative, in the release.
The collaborative is chaired by Wally Lee, retired chamber CEO and principal of LeeValent Group LLC.
"In addition to heightening awareness of downtown's offerings, Downtown Is On Fire is also aimed at dispelling the myths that still exist about downtown. We want people to know that downtown is active, safe and there is plenty of parking," Lee said in the release.
The 2012 Downtown marketing survey of almost 4,000 people had 26 percent of respondents think Downtown is not safe and 51 percent think Downtown has a lack of parking.