Situated at the intersection of five major roadways, Anna, Texas, is the ideally positioned along the northern corridor of expansion of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. As the metroplex has grown, more people have moved north to Collin County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, to find affordable housing, good schools and a better quality of life. A trusted partner of the Anna Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Cooksey Communications focuses on driving awareness for the rapidly developing outer-ring suburb as it grows to its full potential at the crossroads of rapid development in the North Texas region.

the challenge

Build a presence and create a lasting impression in a sea of thriving communities

For many people not living in the immediate area, Anna, Texas, was once best known as a “truck stop city,” in the far reaches of northern Collin County. In addition, in recent years, a number of other outer-ring suburbs also began to emerge in the area, creating further challenges as Anna worked to establish itself as a pro-business, pro-growth city focused on providing an attractive location for businesses and a home for those searching for affordable housing and close proximity to both the Dallas area and the rising tech hub in Grayson County just north of the city. Once Anna adopted its new strategic plan and reduced permitting process timeline, the need arose to raise awareness and educate target audiences, including real estate developers and brokers, homebuilders and the business community, about Anna and its business-friendly trajectory for growth.

the strategy

Create a brand that reflects opportunity and capitalizes on North Texas’ momentum as a destination for growth and relocation

Cooksey initiated its efforts for the Anna EDC with a comprehensive communications audit and plan that would lead to the creation of a lasting brand and ensure on-target messaging. The audit included conducting interviews with city officials and key stakeholders and a review of peer and aspirational cities’ marketing and branding efforts. As part of the final plan, Cooksey refreshed Anna’s branding with a modern, eye-catching look-and-feel, developed key messages sharing Anna’s pro-business mindset and growth potential, and created the EDC’s signature tagline, “Groundbreaking Possibilities.” This audit and plan set the stage to launch an ongoing marketing program that would raise awareness about Anna and educate target audiences about its pro-growth strategy.