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Lights on Limerick`s participation in Find Your Greatness APN

Edited on

31 August 2022
Read time: 3 minutes

This series of articles is about the cities' implications in the Find Your Greatness Network, with a special focus on the strategic development challenges of every city, their strategic brand positioning, the objectives of the Integrated Action Plan, main actions related to the IAP, the role and activities of ULGs in co-creating the IAP, and the benefits in participating in the FYG APN. 

Every article is a well-defined ”radiography” of the activities within the Find Your Greatness project and of the results as well. The structure of every article is very rigid, in order to capture only the essentials and to be read in under 3 minutes. 

1. Key strategic development challenges of the city

  • develop a marketing and communication strategy specific, and provide, test, and implement smart e-solutions
  • increase the awareness and pride of inhabitants and build community spirit
  • convey the strategic positioning message to investors, the business community, and visitors.
  • improve tourism products/services and cultural life to offer an authentic Limerick experience 

2. Strategic brand positioning
 The brand represents our shared vision and identity. It helps our businesses and organizations attract and retain investment, educate and cultivate a skilled workforce and stimulate tourism. The vision for a green sustainable Limerick city region is a genuine view of the future we want to create, share with others, and invite everyone to be part of.

3. Objectives of the IAP

  1. Our People: Connecting our communities, at home and abroad, will be at the heart of our Diaspora Strategy.
  2. Our Prosperity: Limerick will embrace economic ties with our Diaspora in regions of strategic importance on the basis of mutual benefit.
  3. Our Arts, Culture, Heritage, Sport, and Tourism: Arts, Culture, Heritage, Sport, and Tourism are key drivers of the relationship between Limerick and its Diaspora. This strategy will place a strong focus on these areas.

4. Main actions of IAP
Tourism: Key focus this year on appetite to travel and pent-up demand for international travel. 
Locally: Brand Advocacy and Partner Engagement - update and deliver local engagement mechanism/campaign and stakeholder/partner engagement. Update ambassador recruitment and provide with update brand messaging. 
Diaspora: Continue deeper engagement with Limerick through actions of Limerick Diaspora strategy

  • Ensure that all activity and communications are through the brand lens
  • Re-brand Riverfest 2022 and Adare brand to reflect Brand Limerick
  • Create branded spaces throughout Limerick and avail of local engagement opportunities presented to us.
  • Liaise with tourism department and Failte Ireland on the rollout of new Limerick branding at key gateway points and sites in city and county towns through Wayfinding Strategy and joint programme of activity.

5. The role and activities of ULG in co-creating IAP
 The ULG core has played a major role in the development of the project. In fact, this group has been responsible, at the project's early stages, for the definition of the activities that will be conducted during the project, for the proposal of target groups, and for the definition of the Small Scale Action. In addition, the ULG core has been involved in the proposal of actions related to the aforementioned policy challenges (brand actions, marketing actions, community spirit-building actions, etc.).

6. The benefits of participating in APN FyG 
An action planning network is an excellent way of sharing best practices among cities. For example, in Limerick, we have closely followed Bragança and their development of a smart city branding, while from Candelaria we have learned that close cooperation between the various functions of a municipality can be fostered through a well-implemented brand. An additional benefit of an APN is the atmosphere of co-creation and new friendships which arise, giving us all the motivation needed to bring our plans to completion.

Learn more about Limerick from FYG Final digital product: https://issuu.com/findyourgreatness/docs/find_your_greatness_e-book