Noticing the fast population growth along the I-10 corridor, The Baton Rouge Area Foundation signed up Idea City to deliver a brand that would let the cities come together to build their economies around a single purpose. Idea City immersed itself in the region and delivered this purpose: To bring energy to life.
Energy for Life is a call to action based on the amazing opportunity that exists in Louisiana
today. It asks people to get fired up and contribute their talents to making their mark in Louisiana.
The challenges that make people want to leave Louisiana (poverty, poor education rates, political corruption, environmental crisis, crime, infrastructure meltdown) are the very same challenges that create meaningful opportunities for talented people in Louisiana.
There were three ‘opportunity avenues’ that got talented people fired up about working in Louisiana:
Make a difference. The ability to make a difference in creating the future of Louisiana. From an altruistic perspective, many idealists were drawn to south Louisiana in order to be part of fixing the problems and making Louisiana better for future generations. “I like the challenges, it makes me feel like I can make a difference in the lives of future Louisianans by staying here and trying to make it better.”
Make your mark. The ability to make a name for yourself in business. From a competitive perspective, a little talent, initiative and ingenuity will go a long way in building a successful business in Louisiana. Entrepreneurs have used many of the challenges to their advantage, quickly reaching success levels that would be hard to achieve in more highly competitive metropolitan cities elsewhere in the country.
Make history. The ability to be a part of or witness the unfolding of some of the most innovative revitalization efforts ever created. Hitting “rock bottom” has made innovation a necessity. The Coastal Recovery Plan, Blueprint Louisiana (Education Reform, Political Reform, Healthcare Reform), Louisiana Speaks (Smart Growth), Political Reform are all underway and give people hope in the possibility of a truly better Louisiana in the future.