Entered by Butler County Visitors Bureau 

Butler County, Ohio is a diverse and large region in Southwest Ohio nestled between Cincinnati and Dayton. The region is eclectic with vast rural sections, urban centres, suburban communities and even a cosy university town. Demographics range from rich to poor and the ethnic mix includes long-time Ohio families & new immigrant populations. Butler County was faced with a challenge. How do we harness our diversity and leverage it to continue to promote strategic growth that positively impacts all for years to come. To tackle this challenge the Butler County Commissioners Office, Butler County Port Authority and Butler County Visitors Bureau teamed up to develop a universal place brand that is authentic and forward-thinking to represent the county in a variety of mediums. 

This project became known as “Project Spark.” Community and citizen engagement was a prominent goal of Project Spark and the leadership team was very dedicated to collecting the thoughts and opinions of a wide group of Butler County residents, business owners and visitors throughout the process. Project Spark installations were set up at 20 different community events. Locals were asked “What makes Butler County great?” and were also encouraged to participate in the Neighborland portal online.