The City of Logan is located between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Logan City Council is comprised of an elected council that is a local law-making body consisting of a mayor and 12 councillors.

The business innovation was developed to address issues raised in market research. Responses to the community attitude research revealed the existence of numerous negative perceptions about Logan, including those from outside the city. However, responses also revealed a strong sense of pride within the local community. A challenge identified from the research was the need to maximise local pride and counteract negative perceptions. With a minimal budget and time, the team devised a creative idea of staging a monthly Pop Up Food Truck and Music Festival – ‘Eats & Beats’. The inventive and strategically aligned initiative was developed to showcase the talent and spirit of the Logan community, support local business and attract visitation to the city in line with Logan City Council corporate priorities.

The mobility provided by the “truck” meant the event could be strategically and cost effectively moved across various Logan locations to showcase the city’s offerings. Local vendors were engaged to offer a wide array of cuisine and local artists were approached to provide entertainment. The event succeeded in showcasing the city’s size and diverse offerings while meeting the need for reasonably-priced food and family entertainment. Eats & Beats also aimed to boost the local economy through the involvement and promotion of local restaurants, vendors, entertainers and facilities. The initial event attracted 7000 attendees and 18 food vendors.

The marketing team developed a strong visual identity and creative approach to marketing materials, which depicted a dynamic offering that appealed to both young audiences and families alike. The marketing campaign activation centered around the need to be innovative and use a multiple communication platform approach to ensure a wide reach. The campaign was designed to encompass digital, social media, print advertising, television and direct marketing mediums to ensure broad reach and strong frequency.

The Eats & Beats initiative succeeded in creating value by improving public perceptions about the City of Logan and building pride within the region. The Eats & Beats pop up truck series has not only been exceptionally well received by residents, vendors and entertainers in the community, but by first-time and repeat attendees both within and outside of the city. Such innovation continues to create positive communication between communities, business and Council, with the common goal of creating a greater sense of pride and belonging.

Logan City Council is being recognised for a Business Innovation Award in the Australian Business Awards 2016.