Cardinal Communications is getting a student perspective about downtown Muncie in hopes of rejuvenating the area and making it more appealing to students.
The Muncie Downtown Development Partnership hired the student-run public relations firm to raise interest within the community about downtown businesses and events.
Maris Schiess, team leader for the group working with Downtown Development, said Cardinal Communications has been working on an ad campaign, promoting downtown events, planning events and organizing a partnership for local businesses.
"The thing we're really just trying to gauge right now is what people know," she said. "I know there's not a lot of awareness of downtown, like people don't really know of the [Muncie] Children's Museum, the dining and nightlife opportunities that are downtown. With students, we just really want to make them more aware. There's more to do in Muncie than people think. You have to be a tourist where you live."
Schiess said the team is in the process of organizing a downtown event that will take place in December amidst the holiday festivities Downtown Development has planned. The event is meant to target students from various local colleges and will feature deals from downtown businesses for those who bring their student IDs.
The event will tentatively have a raffle, a window-decorating competition and a bar-crawl in the evening.
Part of Cardinal Communication's work with Downtown Development is conducting research. In 2010, Cardinal Communications published a report detailing the frequency with which respondents visited downtown, how positive or negative the experiences were, reasons for travelling downtown, distance from downtown, age and gender.
The report also cited interviews with various business owners and featured comparisons of Muncie to similar cities throughout Indiana.
The team has published a similar survey this year. The research is meant to both estimate and raise awareness for downtown attractions.
Schiess said this is Cardinal Communications's second year working with Downtown Development, and many of the students on the team have returned from last year, including Schiess.
Cheryl Crowder, programs coordinator for Downtown Development, said the organization initially hired Cardinal Communications while trying to understand the community's perception of them.
"Through some surveys and analysis of the results, we were able to look at our weaknesses and begin to address the idea of a broad based marketing campaign," she said.
Crowder said that Downtown Development depends on Ball State student input.
"Downtown Development has had a long history of working with student organizations and immersive learning projects," she said. "The freshness that students bring to the table is part of how we as an organization learn and grow as well."
Schiess said the experiences she's had working with Downtown Development has helped her appreciate the Muncie community.
"I've definitely found a passion for it that I've never expected I would get for a local district," she said.
For more information and updates about upcoming events, visit munciedowntown.us or ‘like' Downtown Muncie on Facebook.
Students and faculty can take the latest downtown Muncie survey at:
edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/653957/Muncie-Downtown-Student-Survey
Other students working with Muncie Downtown Development Partnership:
Megan Snider, sophomore public relations major
Jake Eaton, senior advertising major
Chelsea Durham, junior public relations major
Brennen Charles, senior advertising major
Olivia Romero, freshman advertising major
Grace Hunsberger, graduate public relations major
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
