Website
http://www.visitindy.com
Primary Contact
Chris Gahl
Vice President, Marketing
Contact via email
Mission statement
Visit Indy is a not-for-profit that exists to promote the city of Indianapolis.
Actions
Actions are activities derived from the Plan 2020 planning process that a partner has committed to implement.
Visit Indy is working on the following actions:
Strategy
Help research the creation of an online "Smart Engine" that recommends events and activities for customized users based on criteria set by user.
Action
Identify existing technology (e.g. Collections) that offer residents/visitors an easy way to discover ways to socially engage
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
May 5, 2016
Progress
100%
Strategy
Help research the creation of an online "Smart Engine" that recommends events and activities for customized users based on criteria set by user.
Action
Ask existing partners to help contribute/share data to allow Visit Indy to aggregate a comprehensive events and attractions database, as not to duplicate efforts
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
June 30, 2016
Progress
100%
We are pulling cultural events from key partners and aggregating them on the Visit Indy LoveIndy page along with our new mobile app.
Strategy
Help research the creation of an online "Smart Engine" that recommends events and activities for customized users based on criteria set by user.
Action
Engage the Indy tech sector as potential leader in a new application, including researching possible funders for this new App
Start Date:
June 1, 2016
Completion Date:
May 31, 2017
Progress
100%
New retooled app by local developer successfully launched with new #LoveIndy integration.
Strategy
Reach the non-user and new user via workplaces, media and neighborhoods.
Action
Ask partners to help promote and measure volunteer opportunities
Start Date:
March 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2020
Progress
25%
Visit Indy to help work with UWCI, IndyHub, Leadership Indianapolis, and Indiana Humanities on a best-practices in measuring civic engagement.
Strategy
Reach the non-user and new user via workplaces, media and neighborhoods.
Action
Identify existing opportunities to organize mobile amenities such as food trucks and pop-up shops
Start Date:
June 1, 2016
Completion Date:
June 30, 2018
Progress
100%
We have identified three places/spaces and activated the LoveIndy brand, including Spark at City Market and PUP retail locations.
Strategy
Create a popular, hip and consistent Love Indy brand that broadens awareness and fosters a positive image of Indy.
Action
Continue with the NDY Sculpture campaign along with growing the “Friends of” group of ambassadors that populate the #LoveIndy feed and increase its visibility
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
May 5, 2016
Progress
100%
Strategy
Create a popular, hip and consistent Love Indy brand that broadens awareness and fosters a positive image of Indy.
Action
Develop and implement multiple portals (existing social channels) within the same brand for immediate happenings in the arts, culture, sports and neighborhoods
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2016
Progress
100%
Visit Indy is now partnering with the ArtsCouncil & Do 317 to aggregate events in the arts/culture/sports arena and cross promoting online, socially, and via our email distribution channels.
Strategy
Create a popular, hip and consistent Love Indy brand that broadens awareness and fosters a positive image of Indy.
Action
Create and implement a process to market larger happenings in places where people gather (places of worship, parks and neighborhood centers, sporting arena’s etc.) within current budget
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2020
Progress
100%
We have established a community relations plan to market citywide events to places of worship, parks, and neighborhood centers and have established regular communication with a group of 200.
Strategy
Create a Love Indy Challenge that rewards doers who participate in 5 or more cultural activities per year.
Action
Work with Indiana Humanities on repurposing its ALL-IN model for citywide exploration
Start Date:
March 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2017
Progress
0%
Strategy
Create a Love Indy Challenge that rewards doers who participate in 5 or more cultural activities per year.
Action
Work with community partners on finding funds for micro-grants to artists and residents for neighborhood based projects
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2017
Progress
0%
Strategy
Create a Love Indy Challenge that rewards doers who participate in 5 or more cultural activities per year.
Action
Examine the feasibility of a Love Indy themed card with a local bank to receive a percentage of every purchase
Start Date:
May 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2017
Progress
50%
Follow back up with banks to work through logistics of card.
Strategy
Reach the non-user and new user via workplaces, media and neighborhoods.
Action
Identify partners to provide demographics to help define the new and non-user (e.g. grandfather in Carmel, single mom, teenager)
Start Date:
May 1, 2016
Completion Date:
May 31, 2017
Progress
75%
Through No Mean City initiative and Visit Indy residential online study (October), we have created persona baseline data on who is engaging most with websites, cultural institutions, and attending events currently.
Strategy
Reach the non-user and new user via workplaces, media and neighborhoods.
Action
Create a better partnership between the media, local sports initiatives and arts and culture happenings
Start Date:
January 1, 2017
Completion Date:
December 31, 2018
Progress
100%
A media tour with local companies occurred in February to update on key events for 2016.
Strategy
Reach the non-user and new user via workplaces, media and neighborhoods.
Action
Via Visit Indy’s communications team, equip and activate workplaces to market information to their employees via affinity groups, corporate communications newsletters, and HR Directors as a retention strategy
Start Date:
May 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2017
Progress
100%
Visit Indy has launched a monthly Partnership Events & #LoveIndy Email communication platform to cross promote third places and cultural events for residents.
Strategy
Reach the non-user and new user via workplaces, media and neighborhoods.
Action
Supplement the existing Super Service program (organized for Superbowl XLVI) to include information on loving Indy. Invite schools, hospitality staffs, taxi drivers, etc
Start Date:
May 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2017
Progress
100%
In addition to the Indianapolis Airport and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, we have also implemented this hospitality training to the Indiana State Fair and its volunteers along with the city’s 25 downtown hotels.
Strategy
Create a popular, hip and consistent Love Indy brand that broadens awareness and fosters a positive image of Indy.
Action
Complete and submit the application to the US Patent Office to trademark #LoveIndy
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
June 30, 2016
Progress
100%
All paperwork via the Visit Indy attorney was completed for both “Love Indy” and “#LoveIndy”
Strategy
Create a popular, hip and consistent Love Indy brand that broadens awareness and fosters a positive image of Indy.
Action
Finalize the structure
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
June 30, 2016
Progress
0%
Strategy
Create a popular, hip and consistent Love Indy brand that broadens awareness and fosters a positive image of Indy.
Action
Develop, publish and share usage guidelines
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
June 30, 2016
Progress
0%
Strategy
Create a popular, hip and consistent Love Indy brand that broadens awareness and fosters a positive image of Indy.
Action
Monitor (policing when necessary) and report on the use of #LoveIndy
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2020
Progress
100%
Two members of the Visit Indy team are monitoring Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, and mainstream media (via Vocus Media Monitoring software)
Strategy
Add at least one unique new cultural destination.
Action
Via existing research conducted as part of the existing Regional Indianapolis Tourism Master Plan, identify gaps in desired / desirable cultural destinations
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2020
Progress
100%
Via Walker Research conducted in October 2015, along with more than 2,500 one-on-one interviews as part of the Tourism Master Plan, gaps and key outcomes have been set.
Strategy
Add at least one unique new cultural destination.
Action
Via the Tourism Master Plan, create and maintain a list of desired projects
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2017
Progress
100%
A short list of projects stemming from 2,500 interviews with key stakeholders statewide.
Strategy
Add at least one unique new cultural destination.
Action
Via the Tourism Master Plan, determine emerging trends / incoming developments that could foster the creation of more unique cultural destinations for residents and visitors
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2020
Progress
100%
A short list of projects stemming from 2,500 interviews with key stakeholders statewide.
Strategy
Add at least one unique new cultural destination.
Action
Via the Tourism Master Plan, develop a program to create desired cultural destinations
Start Date:
January 1, 2016
Completion Date:
December 31, 2020
Progress
100%
A short list of projects stemming from 2,500 interviews with key stakeholders statewide.