Wauconda launches marketing plan that will focus on its small-town charm

When Robin Malpass walked by local shops along Wauconda’s Main Street she said she knew something was different about the town — strangers were greeting her.

Feeling a strong sense of community, Malpass, president of Robin Malpass & Associates, a Chicago-based marketing agency, said she knew small-town charm would be the village’s future brand.

The village’s economic development steering committee met with Malpass on Tuesday to help create a brand promise — a statement defining the village and community values. Malpass said it will advertise Wauconda’s strengths to positively represent residents and local businesses, and to recruit visitors.

“It’s very competitive for a community trying to recruit new businesses and new residents,” she said. “If the community doesn’t have a message or strong message about who it is, it’s easy to be overlooked in the marketplace and not have an opportunity to compete.”

Participants in Tuesday’s meeting highlighted Bangs Lake, festivals and events, diversity of dining, yearlong outdoor recreational opportunities, the mix of businesses big and small, and the character of Main Street as the village’s most marketable qualities.

Mayor Mark Knigge, who attended the meeting, said he was impressed by the diversity of individuals on the economic development steering committee, who are a mix of business owners, chamber of commerce members, and local residents hand-picked by Administrator David Geary.

“They gave good feedback. I think everybody just kind of spoke their mind,” Knigge said.

Malpass said Wauconda’s clean community will make the job easy compared to other towns she’s done marketing for.

“Wauconda doesn’t have any real big issues that we have to worry about — no vacant downtown, malls or industrial parks that are in disarray,” she said. “A lot of times, we go into communities that have real issues and problems, resident perception problems. Here, we’re starting from a standpoint that the community has a solid reputation.”

Tuesday’s meeting was the first of five that will take place to develop the new community brand. Once committee members and Malpass agree on one at their next meeting on June 26, they will work to create a slogan, theme-lines, and graphic elements to help anchor the brand.

Officials said the marketing project will take around three months to complete and won’t exceed $24,500 in costs.