MANSFIELD — Theatre 166 on Tuesday afternoon was filled with a cross-section of local elected and appointed community leaders.
That fact was not lost on Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry after the first BrandRichland video had its premiere at the black box venue, a part of the Renaissance Theatre.
“It’s really exciting. Even though I’ve seen the video obviously, and helped in it, it was really exciting to just watch it and see it come to life,” said Perry, the leader of Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development when the countywide branding campaign began a few years ago.
“I think at this point, sometimes we maybe take for granted that we can all get in a room and get along and we’re together.
“We absolutely shouldn’t take that for granted and many other communities could not do what we did, which is have everyone on the same team,” said Perry, who took office in January.
“So I’m super proud of it. I love being at the city now to be able to just fully embrace it and take it forward,” the mayor said.
“Mansfield and Richland County are in the midst of a resurgence, and this video is going to help us tell the story of all the great things that are happening here. The city is proud to be a partner in the video and also the branding project as a whole,” Perry said.
The video, origins of which stretch back to the Mansfield Rising project that began in 2018, was shot largely in the summer of 2023 at more than 40 locations around Mansfield and Richland County.
The BrandRichland video
Lee Tasseff, president and CEO of Destination Mansfield-Richland County, said the branding video, like the overall branding campaign, is aimed at those outside north central Ohio and also area residents.
“It’s both. Our focus at Destination Mansfield-Richland County is always outside. So I always think through that lens.
“The balance on the (branding) committee was ‘How does it play locally? How do we use it for community pride?” said Tasseff, who was also in the ground floor of the branding effort.
“So it does have that element. When the brand was created, much to the credit of the branding agency, they got the duality of that. They knew it needed to be used for both.”
“So seeing this, and having everybody like it and sharing something they recognize, we hope they’re proud enough to show it to their friends and put it out there (on social media) so everyone can find it,” Tasseff said.
“Mansfield and Richland County are for the strong and inspired. … We are a family of communities working together. … The roads, rivers and trails that connect our cities are filled with people committed to the promise of abundant living. … We are outspoken. Hard-working trailblazers. … We are creators sharing a collective vision. … We are a story in the making. And the only thing missing? The chapter you will help us write. Come. Make it in Mansfield. Welcome home.” — Taken from the BrandRichland video script
The “Mansfield Rising Community Branding” initiative was developed in cooperation with more than 20 community partners and nine funders and will be used as an anchor for a strategic marketing plan to raise awareness about Richland County’s work, life, and leisure opportunities.
Sandy Messner, director of marketing and communications at the chamber, said there was no way to pack all of the material shot around the county into the one video.
“What we have is this big collection of all of our cities, so many of our recreational opportunities, over 35 businesses,” she said.
“Now we can take this and parse it out and make smaller video clips that we can use digitally, 15- or 30-second video clips, that will show what you can do in the winter time in Richland County, what you can fall in Richland County. What’s it like to work in Richland County? (What’s our) lifestyle?” Messner said.
“There are so many ways these other videos can be deployed. This is just the starting point. This is the springboard. We’re launching our brand into the world,” Messner said.
Richland County Commissioner Tony Vero, who was involved in the branding campaign from the start, said he recently had relatives, who had once lived in Mansfield, return to the community for a visit.
“They turned to me and said, ‘This is not the Mansfield and Richland County I remember. There is kind of a lot going on right now,'” Vero said.
He pointed out the video “touched” nearly every part of the county.
“I think it’s easy to see from the video and the (filming location) on the map that we aren’t coming around and we aren’t starting to be something — but that we are something. And now it’s just expected,” Vero said.
“Everyone in this room has played a part in raising the bar of this entire county and our lifestyle.
“It’s truly a great time to be in Richland County,” Vero said.
