Selling Philadelphian Studios

If we value innovation in Philadelphia, it would be interesting for Philadelphia based design agencies (or studios) to not just sell innovation individually, but band together and sell Philadelphia web and ID studios as being innovative because they are Philadelphian.

So I have a vision: An area wide marketing effort: "Philadelphia - 200 Years of Innovation".

I am prompted to this thought having lived in California for most of my life. Ah, California. Apple has been very conscious of putting "California" in the front of everything they do.... IDEO is certainly riding this wave as well. They are part of, and reinforce, the California group brand. Not bad for a place that once used to be just a bunch of fruit trees.

Philadelphia has hurdles to overcome in making this shift. One is how we see ourselves. Philadelphia is also "Philly". By that I mean it has to overcome or integrate into this message of being innovators its love of being the rough, non-intellectual blue collar underdog.

I would start with the story of the first American Congress; innovation is so central to, and localized here because of it. So I think finding validation for ourselves, as residents of Philadelphia, that we can be innovative, that we should be the people you would look to if you need really new ideas, is possible.

Once we believe that, and rearrange ourselves to be that (reorg our companies, build incubators, lead as speakers, fund start-ups, etc.) I think we can begin saying this with confidence to the rest of the world.