State of the City 2024 – More than just a home
Purpose of Project
Every year, the City of Surrey produces a video for the Mayor’s State of the City Address, and for 2024, we used this opportunity to launch our 2024 Economic Strategy and unveil the refreshed Invest Surrey brand. This project highlights Surrey’s vibrant community and local businesses as integral parts of the city. By collaborating with City departments, third-party contractors, industry, and community stakeholders, we created a high-quality video that enhances Surrey’s appeal for investment and aligns with our strategic priorities, showcasing our commitment to economic development and fostering stronger community ties.
The video, titled “More than just a home” highlights Surrey’s unique neighborhoods, city amenities, and prominently features local businesses to emphasize that our business community is an integral part of the city, not just a supporting element. This narrative reinforces the idea that Surrey is a vibrant, interconnected community where businesses thrive alongside residents.
The project was managed by the City’s Economic Investment Services team, with filming and production executed by both internal teams and third-party contractors. The success of the video was made possible through the collaboration of multiple City departments, supporting organizations, and members of our business community. This collective effort ensured that the video accurately represented Surrey’s dynamic environment and strategic vision for economic development.
Our project exemplifies excellence in economic development through strategic media integration and community collaboration, despite a modest budget of $16,000.
Effectiveness
The video was directed in a way that is not specific to the State of the City event, allowing the video to be utilized multiple times by various organizations for different events and presentations, bolstering a sense of community and enhancing Surrey’s appeal for investment attraction.
The project effectively showcased Surrey’s economic potential and community vibrancy, aligning with strategic priorities. The video has been pivotal in boosting awareness and pride in Surrey, evidenced by its use at international delegations and local events, with over 2,000 social media views.
Challenges
While engaging businesses was rewarding, it posed scheduling challenges. We focused on forming new relationships with businesses not typically featured, rather than relying on existing connections. To incentivize participation, we provided footage for their marketing and showcased them on our social channels.
Aligning the video release with our ongoing development of our branding update and Economic Strategy, as well as the deadlines imposed by the State of the City address was complex. Clear communication and collaboration among teams ensured everything aligned with our goals.
Target Audience
The video targets potential investors, stakeholders, and residents interested in Surrey’s economic growth, emphasizing our diverse neighborhoods and thriving business environment.
Sustainability
Using the video to simultaneously launch our new branding and economic strategy was a strategic move that generated significantly more attention than a typical strategy launch. This dual-purpose approach showcased our commitment to economic growth and reinforced the cohesive vision outlined in our strategy. This methodology not only amplified the impact of our video but also strengthened our overall messaging and outreach efforts.
