Building a Green Brand

When an international cement company was presented an opportunity to purchase a landmark piece of property, they didn't have to think twice.

The property had historical value and had been passed down through a family in the small town where one of the company's major plants was located. The purchase would allow the townspeople a recreation venue and eventually be home to a nature preserve with LEED certified buildings, sure to attract visitors from thorough out the region.

All of this because the company wanted to responsibly license a new quarry and would need to mitigate wetlands. It could have easily chosen to do just that---and only that. Instead, it listened to the creative solutions put on the table by the small group of consultants hired to work on the project who saw the potential. A simple brainstorming session turned into a full-fledged project.

The results were stunning.

Blue Spring Nature Preserve is becoming a reality because of a company's commitment to do the right thing. It provided the seed money for the initial funding, formed a 501c3 and assembled a team of community leaders, civic volunteers, elected officials and others as part of a steering committee. It then engaged a company to create a master plan for the project.

In an effort to bring the Blue Spring Nature Preserve plan to fruition, Panorama Public Relations has developed a campaign to engage stakeholders and raise additional funds through grants and corporate donations.

First, Panorama Public Relations built an identity for Blue Springs Nature Preserve as a brand. The central effort in this stage was to develop a logo. Panorama commissioned a logo that featured a single tree overlooking a stream. The logo pays tribute to an iconic tree on the Blue Springs property as well as the diverse ecosystems found therein. In addition, Panorama developed style sheets that prescribed font faces and colors to be used in all communications.

Next, Panorama prescribed a series communications avenues that would keep stakeholders informed regarding the project. The key channel is the web site, which showcases images that demonstrate the beauty of the site along with captivating history of the site and the stated mission of the preserve. Panorama also publishes an e-newsletter on a quarterly basis, which gives stakeholders the latest news and features about the site. In addition, Panorama has been instrumental in conducting media outreach activities, which have resulted in coverage in local publications and industry trades. In fact, Business Alabama named Blue Springs the “Best Conservation Development” for 2008.

Lastly, Panorama recommended capital campaign materials for use in fund-raising. In addition to the use of the web site, Panorama specified a series of presentations, posters, pamphlets and donor cards. These materials would give steering committee members the tools they needed to solicit private donations and sponsorships.

For more information on Blue Springs Nature Preserve, click here.