PCD 2021-04-05 Item 1B - Agreement - Experience Tukwila Management with True Blue Strategies

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City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Planning and Community Development FROM: Brandon Miles, Business Relations Manager CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: March 25, 2021 SUBJECT: Agreement with True Blue Strategies for Experience Tukwila ISSUE Authorize the Mayor to sign an agreement with True Blue Strategies for the management and operation for the Experience Tukwila Digital Initiative. BACKGROUND In 2020, the City launched the Experience Tukwila Digital Initiative to aggressively promote the Tukwila community within the Seattle region. Experience Tukwila includes dedicated social media accounts and a website with original content highlighting restaurants, retailers, events, and the overall Tukwila community. The social media was very helpful in promoting Tukwila businesses during the Stay Home, Stay Heathy orders associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These dedicated social media channels and website have allowed us to do sponsorships and partnership we were unable to do in the past, including being a partner for Seattle Restaurant Week and doing a campaign with the Seattle Seawolves. For 2021 Experience Tukwila will focus on growing its reach and followers on social media, with a focus on working to bring visitors back to the City following the pandemic. New original content will be created to highlight the community and businesses, including post COVID-19 photoshoot and the creation of short videos promoting the City. The overall goal of Experience Tukwila is to bring more visitors to the City, encourage them to stay longer, and to improve the City's brand within the region. DISCUSSION The City has been working with True Blue Strategies (formally Mammoth) for almost a year. True Blue is a woman owned company based out of Seattle and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Experience Tukwila Initiative. The City selected True Blue in 2020 after interviewing several firms. True Blue was selected due to its small size and overall background in working in both public policy and marketing. FINANCIAL IMPACT The total agreement will not exceed $125,000. A lodging tax application is pending in the amount of $100,000 to fund this agreement. Additional expenditure authorization is being requested in case other funds (grants or additional lodging tax funds) become available during the contract term. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the Committee forward the agreement to the April 19, 2021 consent agenda for final action by the City Council. ATTACHMENTS 1. Draft Agreement between the City of Tukwila and True Blue Strategies. 25