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Guerilla Marketing Tactics Help Launch New Downtown Brand

When a small community gets creative, a new logo can create a lot of buzz.

(Boonton, NJ, August 13, 2010) — The tiny town of Zeeland, MI (population 5,470), used guerrilla marketing tactics, and some spray paint, to launch its new logo and get people talking about downtown.

In the August issue of Downtown Promotion Reporter, Abigail deRoo, the marketing director for the City, explains. "In the middle of the night, we had a little 'gang' of people in black knit sweatshirts that went around town and spray painted the new logo — on city streets, a few different buildings, and the back of a police car. We caught it all on video."

The next morning, people all over town were wondering, "What's going on?" When they checked their email, they had received an anonymous YouTube video showing the perpetrators in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaaHmGW06B4

Citizens and local newspapers began calling the City asking what had happened. The city's response? "No comment."

After several days, a few more stunts, and lots of buzz, the City announced the new downtown brand.

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About the Downtown Research & Development Center

For over 50 years, the Downtown Research & Development Center has acted as the information clearinghouse on practical strategies and tactics for revitalizing the hearts of our cities and towns.

The Group's main activities include publishing the widely influential Downtown Idea Exchange and Downtown Promotion Reporter newsletters; publishing relevant books and reports; and operating the DowntownDevelopment.com website.

Website: http://www.DowntownDevelopment.com