Ed Cotton from Influx has started a “Planning for Good” group.

“Planning for Good is an organization made up of marketing communication strategists and their friends who’ve come together to lend their skills to support nonprofits…Here you’ll find some of the smartest thinkers in the business, people who intimately understand how to uncover insight, build brands and create powerful stories around them.” - from PSFK

The first brief is on the great city of New Orleans through Idea Village. Other blogs have written on the topic so rather than re-writing everything, I’ll copy and paste below…

Jason Oke from Leo Burnett Toronto blog writes that while most of the coverage of New Orleans has focused on the problems and negatives, another story has quietly emerged: the city has become a magnet of sorts for adventurous young people with energy, a sense of purpose, and a realization that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to help re-invent a city. As Forbes Magazine has said:

The brief is to help the Idea Village build their brand, so they in turn can help build New Orleans. How should the Idea Village define and articulate who they are and what they do? How can they attract and motivate these smart young people moving to New Orleans?

I’m encouraging everyone to use their skills for good. New Orleans needs powerful ideas to create massive change. We need an influx of more young people posed to be our city’s next leaders. We need more positive news coming out of the city. You don’t need to move down to New Orleans to help rebuild it and with the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina right around the corner, it’s already being hit with the negativity and pessimistic POV from the press. Personally, I’m tired of hearing about it as everybody else so this is a chance to do something about it. One person can only do so much but a collective group working together can create powerful change.

You can start by joining the facebook group here and stay tuned on the Influx, Brand New, Leo Burnett and Fallon blogs for updates…

In the meantime, here are some nuggets to help you get started…

“Now, instead of the brain drain, the city is nurturing a brain gain. New Orleans has become the testing ground for a new career and lifestyle ideal among today’s 20-somethings — called “millennials” by some — one that places less importance on the value of money, title and a swift climb up the corporate ladder.

Faced with an increasingly global economy, less job security and more awareness of global problems, many graduates are seeking a more fluid and socially responsible career. New Orleans, with its myriad systems in crisis and authentic laissez faire charm, has emerged as a new mecca for adventurous young people hoping to start their careers, have a good time and make the world a better place.”
Read the rest of the article here.

Daryn Dodson, a 28-year-old Stanford MBA grad from Washington, D.C. working with Idea Village, relocated to New Orleans after volunteering in the lower Ninth Ward. “This is one of the great stories of American history,” he says, “but the rest isn’t written yet.”
Read the rest of the article here.

Tim Williamson, founder of the Idea Village, says it is the people — not necessarily business or political leaders — who will set the course for the region’s economy. “We believe New Orleans could be a center for innovation,” he said. “For right now, let’s recruit the people to solve the problems and let them create the new industries. They will find the next big industries for our community.”
Read the rest of the article here

The Idea Village is developing linked community “Innovation Centers” to revitalize key commercial corridors in New Orleans, with the pilot center under development in the Upper 9th Ward where NOAHH has its highest concentration of affordable housing. The Idea Village @ N. Galvez will be an outpost that provides access to retail space, technology, technical assistance, financial services, and other essential resources necessary to economic recovery and development. This center is designed to be a catalyst for a robust commercial corridor that will fuel private investment throughout the neighborhood, giving residents a sense of confidence, ownership, and participation in their community.
Read the rest of the article here.

If anyone has any questions, please post them below!