New Orleans Analyzing the Image of the City

New Orleans Analyzing the Image of the City By: Randi Crowder

About • New Orleans is a city known for it’s jazzy music, cajun food, art and interesting characters. Unique in it’s culture and history, New Orleans has been a popular tourist destination for many, especially for the Marti Gras festival, dining events and more!

About • The Melting Pot: -French (the Creole and Cajun peoples) -Spanish -Haitians (Haitian Revolution 17911804) -Americans (1803)

Katrina • In 2005, Hurricane Katrina blazed through the Gulf of New Mexico devastating the southern regions of the United States along the coasts of Mississippi and Louisiana. New Orleans received the most national media attention during their state of emergency and apparently experienced much turmoil. The aftermath of the hurricane left families homeless, scattered, and desperately trying to recover what was left of their lives.

Campaign Goal • • The goal of this campaign is to bring investors back to the city, and ultimately draw people aged 20 - mid-30’s to the city, as well as the previous residents. Target Audiences 1) Investors: 2) People aged 20’s to mid 30’s

Analyzing the Target Audiences: People ages 20 -30’s • 1) Open ended survey Samples: “What first comes to mind what you think of New Orleans? ” “What does this city have to offer? ” “How would you describe a thriving city? And what types of characteristics would it have? ” 2) Focus Groups- to hear people in discussion

Analyzing the Target Audiences: Investors • Close-ended survey based off info from the other target audience. Sample: “How much do you think the city where a business is located affects the following on a scale of 1 -5? -The weather 1 2 3 4 5 -The economy 1 2 3 4 5 -Places to shop 1 2 3 4 5

More sample questions: • Open-ended Q’s: “What type of market do you think New Orleans has right now? “Do you see it as a profitable city? ” “Do you see opening a business there as worth while? ” “What type of employees do you seek? ” “What defines a prosperous business? ” “Where do you see your business going in the future? ”

Analyzing the Target Audiences: Values • Business Values 1) Revenue, ROI 2) Happy employees 3) Local charities =good PR opportunities • Research the places of businesses recent lay-off rate, and look at their ROI’s etc…to determine whether they are prospering or downsizing. • According to article, companies mainly concerned with infrastructure, corruption, crime, taxes, and work force.

Analyzing the Target Audiences: Values • • Great workplace (income) Location Family opportunity, home buying Social life, night life

Companies leaving the City… and staying out • Article from the Times Picayune: http: //www. nola. com/news/tp/frontpage/index. ssf? /base/news 9/119597291019980. xml&coll=1 • The headquarters of Intermarine Inc. exist in New Orleans in name only. The company's chief executive, chief financial officer and most of its senior staff live and work in Houston. Most of the company's clients are in Houston, too. "The official headquarters is in New Orleans. There is no desire to change the headquarters, " said Mike Dumas, the company's chief financial officer. "But now most of our employees are in Texas. Most key personnel is in Texas, and we're hiring mostly from within the Texas area. At the end of the day, we have to attract high-quality employees who are comfortable with the living environment. "

Swot Analysis Positive Internal Factors External Factors Negative Strengths: Rich in culture past (the Spanish, French, African Americans, and Creolemixed culture. Essence Festival Marti Gras and Jazz Festivals Some people moving back Weaknesses: Economy and housing Crime rate and safety Population Poor schooling system Dilapidated housing and Opportunities: French Quarter (no affected by Hurricane) Cultural Events Others moving to the place in efforts to help revive the city Threats: Safety and crime Economic decline/Employment rate Foreclosure crisis and demolition Insurance dilemma with FEMA flood tattered areas

Statistics • From 1999 -2004, the average monthly nonfarm employment in the metro area fell 616, 000 to 614, 000 (dropped about 0. 3 percent). • After Katrina for the first nine months of 2007, average monthly nonfarm employment was 501, 000, according to thet US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

More Stats • “The over-the-year loss to the city economy averaged 95, 000 jobs during the first 10 months after the hurricane. The job-loss trough occurred in November 2005, when the employment total was 105, 300 below what it had been a year earlier. Ten months after the hurricane, in June 2006, the over-the-year job loss had diminished to 92, 900. The loss in wages during the 10 months following Katrina was approximately $2. 9 billion, with 76 percent of it, or $2. 2 billion, associated with the private sector. ” **results according to the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, the Bureau) Sept 2005 -June 2006

Analyzing place Characteristics • Surveys • Observe businesses (already there and thriving) • Asking people questions (residents and non) • Observing recent media coverage and following trends

Analyzing Media Coverage • • Types of coverage How much coverage Nationally? What types of coverage locally? How many times to we appear in (AP, NY Times, USA Today, etc…)? • What would people be thinking based off these images?

Articles: • Jobs: People who lost jobs reached ½ a million. http: //www. msnbc. msn. com/id/9837404/ • Schools: http: //www. npr. org/templates/story. php? story. Id=10192039 • Housing Demolition http: //www. nola. com/news/tp/frontpage/index. ssf? /base/news 10/1204785365304580. xml&coll 1

Positive Progress: • This season the New Orleans Hornets are in second place in the southwest region (behind the spurs), and third place in the Western conference just behind the San Antonio Spurs and the L. A. Lakers, basketball dynasties. Right now they are 41 -19 overall, and 21: 10 at home. • All –Star game came there! • A man who was able to improve his home: http: //www. nytimes. com/interactive/2007/08/28/us/200 7_NOLA_GRAPHIC. html#

Festivals • French Quarter Festival on April 11 -13 celebrates New Orleans' best musicians, food and fun. • 2008 Jazz Fest All aboard for Jazz Fest! Seven days of the greatest music, food and fun on the planet, always the last weekend in April, first in May. • Essence Music Festival, this summer in July! The year featuring Kanye West, Jill Scott, Chris Brown, Chris Rock and others to perform.

Bibliography: • • • The effects of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans economy (from the Bureau of Labor Statistics) http: //www. bls. gov/opub/mlr/2007/06/art 1 full. pdf Statistics on Companies and Employment: http: //www. nola. com/printer. ssf? /base/news 9/119597291019980. xml&coll=1&thispage=2 Media Strategies for Marketing Places in Crisis – Avraham and Ketter Crime: http: //www. usatoday. com/news/nation/2006 -11 -30 -orleans-crime-cover_x. htm Positive Media Coverage: http: //www. nytimes. com/2008/02/17/sports/basketball/17 star. html? scp=5&sq=New +Orleans&st=nyt Demolitions http: //www. nola. com/news/t-p/frontpage/index. ssf? /base/news 10/1204785365304580. xml&coll=1 Katrina relief information: http: //www. hurricanekatrinarelief. com/katrina_info. html