#Japan #LOCUS BRiDGE #City Promotion #Municipal Awards #Kita-Nbm City

Celebrating Success: A Historic Achievement in City Promotions

Introduction

In an exciting recognition of excellence, four municipalities, namely Machida City in Tokyo, Sayama City and Honjo City in Saitama Prefecture, and Osu City in Iwate Prefecture, have achieved remarkable success by winning gold awards at the City Promotion Awards 2024. This prestigious nationwide award honors exceptional promotional initiatives that contribute to the wellbeing of community members.

Overview of the City Promotion Awards

The City Promotion Awards were established in 2021 to acknowledge municipalities and various organizations dedicated to promoting the happiness and well-being of their residents through strategic city promotions. With an emphasis on sustainable practices, this award mechanism evaluates initiatives that enable regions to foster happiness even amidst declining populations. By promoting data-driven city promotion campaigns, the awards aim to highlight those initiatives whose impact on community well-being can be clearly articulated.

In 2024, the competition ran from August 19 to October 11, attracting submissions from municipalities, educational institutions, business associations, and NGOs across the nation. Following this, expert evaluations determined the award winners.

The Award-Winning Municipalities

LOCUS BRiDGE, a strategic partner in promoting these municipalities, assisted in both project management and training, resulting in an impressive array of award recognitions:

1. Machida City, Tokyo - Gold Award & Jury Special Award

• - Theme: Continuing to be a city chosen both from within and outside.
• - Support from LOCUS BRiDGE: Led by co-representative Hiroshi Hayashi, they conducted city promotion training.
• - Evaluation Points: Their approach was data-oriented, focusing on thorough analysis and quantifiable results. Their methods were considered adaptable for other municipalities, and the enthusiastic engagement of the staff in promotion activities was highly regarded.

2. Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture - Gold Award & Excellence Award

• - Theme: Engaging with the city not as employees, but as individuals - "LINK SAYAMA".
• - Support from LOCUS BRiDGE: They undertook city promotion support tasks.
• - Evaluation Points: The unique culture within the municipality that encourages staff involvement in community challenges was commendable. Their careful establishment of achievable indicators along with a strong data and logic model contributed to their high scores.

3. Honjo City, Saitama Prefecture - Gold Award & Excellence Award

• - Theme: Transforming local "fans" into city "champions" through Honjo City's promotion efforts.
• - Support from LOCUS BRiDGE: They provided city promotion support.
• - Evaluation Points: Their strategy involved meticulous persona targeting and data-driven investigation processes. Engaging community members, organizations, and various interested parties collectively to achieve their goals received positive recognition.

4. Osu City, Iwate Prefecture - Gold Award & Nurturing Award

• - Theme: The remarkable rise of the official city mascot "Osyutaro", cultivated alongside the community.
• - Support from LOCUS BRiDGE: Provided support in public relations and city promotion.
• - Evaluation Points: The innovative use of the mascot as a medium for community engagement was highly praised, illustrating dynamic collaborations across the community such as a local ukulele performer composing a song for the mascot, creating an engaging and memorable experience for the children and residents.

Role of LOCUS BRiDGE

LOCUS BRiDGE plays a crucial role in facilitating strategic designs for city promotions, conducting workshops, creating promotional materials, and providing training for younger staff. They focus on building a sustainable promotional structure from within local governments, ensuring an inclusive narrative where community members take center stage in promoting their region's uniqueness.

Future Aspirations

Following this phenomenal achievement, LOCUS BRiDGE aims to deepen partnerships with local governments, foster regional leadership development, and implement programs that strengthen strategic outreach across the nation. Their expertise will continue to elevate the standards of city promotion throughout Japan.

About LOCUS BRiDGE

LOCUS BRiDGE is a specialized team dedicated to facilitating collaborations between local governments and the private sector to address community challenges. Composed primarily of former public officials, they provide end-to-end services ranging from problem identification to strategic planning and execution support, leveraging their experience to build new societal frameworks alongside multiple municipalities.