Over the last 10 years, Cherry Creek North has evolved from a shopping and dining area into a mixed-use, lifestyle destination, attracting more residents, hotel guests and office workers. The first phase of the Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District’s brand refresh launches this week with a digital ad campaign, with additional brand assets to roll out throughout the next year. The refreshed brand captures the unique essence of the district, inviting visitors to expect the unexpected and enjoy the good life shared in Cherry Creek North.
“The refreshed brand will add vibrancy, life, energy and interest to stay top-of-mind with those who already know Cherry Creek North and to introduce the district to those who don’t,” said Jenny Starkey, interim CEO of CCN BID. “Communications will focus on the various activities that can be enjoyed in the district and leverage three core brand pillars: wonderfully walkable, uniquely upscale and authentically Denver. We know from the research that these combined attributes are what make Cherry Creek North Denver’s premier outdoor lifestyle destination.”
In 2010, the BID became the first in Colorado to issue its own bonds when it sold $18.5 million in debt to finance improvements to the physical environment, including landscaping, pedestrian lighting, a new wayfinding system and the redesign of Fillmore Plaza. In 2014, new zoning in Cherry Creek North lifted the 55-foot building height limit. As a result, over the past five years, an additional one-million square feet of commercial space was added to an existing base of two-million square feet. This includes a 69 percent growth in hotel rooms and a 23 percent growth in residential units for the greater Cherry Creek area.
Although CCN has experienced significant growth and change, the 16-block footprint of the district has remained the same for more than 100 years. Additionally, its reputation remains as a place where small retail businesses thrive. Seventy percent of small, retail businesses in CCN are independently owned, and 50 percent of those are women owned.
The role of the BID has evolved with CCN to include multifaceted program areas and a wide range of services, including consumer marketing and events, economic vitality and physical environment.
CCN BID relied heavily on intercept surveys and an awareness perception study to inform the refreshed branding efforts. The research pointed to a strong need to appeal to millennials, new locals and travelers who are drawn to Cherry Creek North for shopping and dining, as well as long-time locals who have a deep connection to the area.