Innovative. Connected. Vibrant. Prosperous. Committed.
These five words are highlighted in a new video called « We are Jackson » rolled out by the city of Jackson this week. It’s a two minute, 40 second video showcasing the best the city has to offer. It gives a sweeping view of the skyline, as well as close-ups of people building their community and enjoying the parks and festivals. There are aerial shots of downtown with statistics on the screen about the more than 600 business licenses issued by the city last year. And you see that Downtown Jackson apartments have a 95% occupancy rate.
It’s no coincidence that the five words describing the city are also at the heart of Mayor Tony Yarber’s « Bold New Vision » for the future of the city.
« It speaks to the vision the Mayor talks about everywhere he goes, » said Shelia Byrd, spokeswoman for the mayor. « He wants the citizens of Jackson to know he’s proud of this city, and he’s going to brag about it wherever he goes. And now he has a video to take with him. »
The video will be part marketing tool to entice new business to town, and part inspiration for people who live here.
« We want to show Jackson in its true light. I think there are misrepresentations out there, there has been a negative light put on Jackson, » Byrd said.
In January, Mayor Yarber sat with The Clarion-Ledger Editorial Board and acknowledged the issues the city is facing. He talked about crime, potholes and water system issues, but said there are also some good things going on and said everyone needed to talk about the good with the bad. Shortly after that, he unveiled the Bold New Vision which includes plans to upgrade the infrastructure within five years.
Byrd says the Mayor also put a team together within the city to develop the video.
« He has been saying he wanted a video that captured the essence of his vision for the city. We talked about the best things we had going on in Jackson, and knew we wanted those to be part of the video. »
The city used $5,000 from the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau to pay for it. And the video was ready within two weeks.
As for which part she likes, Byrd’s favorite scene in the video is the one behind the word « Vibrant » – which shows off Jacktoberfest.
« We tout ourselves as being an entertainment destination and it shows people out on a city street, having a good time with friends and neighbors. »
Dawn R. Dugle is the Community Engagement Editor at The Clarion-Ledger. She can be reached at ddugle@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook.