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Screen Shot 2022 03 02 at 4.04.17 PM

We found out everything you wanted to know about the makes the Valley of the Sun so great to live in from the people that call it home. Download our Phoenix, AZ Research Report to review all of the details.

Phoenix, Arizona: Fast Facts

Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the United States. According to the U.S. Census, Phoenix’s population is 1,608,139 as of April 2020. Phoenix is located in Maricopa County, and is the largest city and capital of Arizona. It is the most populous state capital in the US, and the only state capital that surpasses 1 million residents. The metropolitan area of Phoenix is also known as the Valley of the Sun part of the Salt River Valley.

Phoenix is currently growing at a rate of 1.54% annually. Forbes placed Phoenix No. 1 on fastest-growing cities in the United States.  (in 2019) The median age for those who live in Phoenix is around 33.8.

A variety of industries thrive in the Phoenix area. The first being aerospace, electronics and semiconductor manufacturing. Tourism, business services and back-office operations are also important sectors.

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Phoenix was:

White: 72.87%

Other race: 10.01%

Black or African American: 7.12%

Two or more races: 3.91%

Asian: 3.79%

Native American: 2.08%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.21%

 

“The job rate is excellent; it’s very easy to find a job here. There are many places to eat and the nightlife is great. I moved here in April of 2021 and I met tons of friendly people and their family’s. I highly recommend Phoenix for vacations because of the many attractions suitable for children and adults.”

Current Resident

Phoenix Neighborhoods

Downtown Phoenix: The heart of the city, offering a modern vibe away from suburban life. High-rises that consist of a mix of posh living with professional and commercial spaces. It is Arizona’s center for arts, culture, and entertainment. Cityscape covers three blocks of downtown Phoenix that includes shops, eateries, bars, and clubs. Roosevelt Row is where the artists go to show off their skills. This art community has art galleries and murals that take over the street. The major League baseball team, Arizona Diamondbacks, play at Chase Field located on East Jefferson Avenue. 

Arcadia: Arcadia was home to the Greek gods and a place of pure, harmonious nature. Located near Camelback Mountain and just 10 miles from downtown. The stereotypical Arcadia-style home is a post-war, one-story ranch on an oversized lot. However, some have been restored while others have been transformed into custom home builds. This area also possesses a top-notch public school district, specifically the Scottsdale Unified School District, that has had the highest ratings in the state. 

Scottsdale: Known as a high-end resort and golf community, it’s the perfect place to raise a family and has been named one of the top ten retirement destinations. Thriving in the art scene, having the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art located in downtown scottsdale. Explore the galleries along Marshall Way Arts District, home to popular and long-running weekly art walks. Scottsdale can be pedestrian friendly, however offers visitors free trolley service. Encountering major points of interest including Old Town, the Marshall Way Arts District, Fifth Avenue Shops, Southbridge, the Waterfront, and Scottsdale Fashion Square. 

Paradise Valley: Named the “Beverly Hills of the Southwest”, being Arizona’s wealthiest municipality and filled with luxury golf courses, spas, and dining. According to zillow, as of May of 2021, the typical home value is a little more than 2.4 million. 16th best school district in the and 8th best district in the state for athletes. Residents have the pleasure of experiencing the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park, viewing Arizona’s local artists at Cosanti, or dine at many delicious restaurants they have to offer. 

High Street: Located in North Phoenix, it consists of modern and stylish neighborhoods ideal for young professionals or anyone who is in search for a primer spot for all things restaurants, retail, and residential. Connecting the lavish lifestyle of Scottsdale to the comfortable living of Phoenix together on one easy street. 

Glendale: Home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, the State Farm Stadium and the Gila River Arena can be found in the area. The Westgate Entertainment District offers a display of specialty shops, eateries, and entertainment. Being the 6th most populated city in Arizona, affordable housing options are available. The Historic District is where Native Americans, cowboys, ranchers, and farmers shaped Glendale into the city that it is today. It has more than 75 public parks with hiking trails, swimming pools, dog parks, playgrounds, and sports fields for visitors or residents to enjoy. 

Tempe: Arizona State University resides in Tempe, offering a suburban college- town feeling.  In the summer-time, Big Surf Waterpark is infamous for its 2.5 million- gallon Waikiki Beach Wave Pool. Tempe Town Lake provides boat rentals, walking and biking trails, kayaking, stand up paddling, and many more recreational activities. Mill Avenue District provides a diverse shopping, dining, and other nightlife options. 

Doing Business in Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona is home to Arizona State University and multiple high-tech and telecommunications companies. Benefit from seasonal tourism and recreation, especially the golfing industry.

Forbes listed Phoenix as #26 best places for business and careers in 2019.

Key Industries: Aerospace, Electronics, Semi- conductor manufacturing, Tourism, Business Services, and back-office operations.

Cost of Living in Phoenix

Cost of living in Phoenix is 5% lower than the national average 

Utility prices are 4% lower than the national average

Transportation expenses like bus fares and gas prices are 8% lower than the national average. 

Phoenix has grocery prices that are 3% lower than the national average.

Healthcare in Phoenix is 2% lower than the national average.

Median Household Income of $57,459 (as of 2019)

Phoenix Apartment Living

Average rent in Phoenix is $1,477 with an average apartment size of 804 square feet.  The neighborhoods that are the most expensive are Downtown Phoenix ($2,045) and Desert View ($1,870) located in Scottsdale. 

The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Phoenix, AZ is currently $1,270 . This is a 27% increase compared to the previous year.

What Phoenix Renters Want

Here are the top things tenants report looking for in a property.

  • Location
  • Safety and Security
  • Move-in Conditions
  • Appliances included
  • Outdoor Spaces
  • Open floor plan and storage

Phoenix was a city of transplants and imported cultures. Over the years Phoenix has developed its own unique “Phoenix” culture. This is apparent when you attend First Fridays, try a local business, or go to school. The city is blessed with a diverse group of people with lofty dreams, and the passion to fulfill them”

Current Resident

Arts, Recreation, and Entertainment in Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona, boasts year-round warmth and sunshine, earning it the nickname of the Valley of the Sun. The city is a desert metropolis with equal parts cacti, sandstone, historical sights and modern architecture.

Desert Botanical Garden is located in the Sonoran Desert and showcases thousands of species of cacti, flowers, and trees. Offers 5 different hiking trails, sunscreen and water recommended. 

Hot Air Balloon Rides offer breathtaking views of Phoenix and the surrounding Sonoran Desert. Multiple companies provide rides in the early morning or just in time for sunset. 

The Arizona Balloon Classic is one of the biggest festivals in Phoenix Arizona. One weekend in January allows families and spectators to walk around the balloons on the field before lifting up. 

Scottsdale Civic Center Plaza is in the prime position of main street in Old Town Scottsdale and the ideal place to begin exploring Phoenix. Scottsdale City Hall, a library, Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts, and an outdoor amphitheater can all be found here.  

Stepping away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Papago Park which holds the iconic landmark Hole in the Rock. Just a short distance from downtown Phoenix, the Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Zoo are located within the park. 

In downtown Phoenix, Roosevelt Row hosts a local art showcase on every First Friday of the Month. One of the country’s largest self-guided art walks. 

Camelback Mountain offers the best view of Phoenix when climbing the trails that lie between Paradise Valley and Phoenix. There are two trails that will lead you up to the peak: a steep, rugged trail called Echo Canyon and a less strenuous trail called Cholla. 

  • Phoenix Sports Teams:
    • The NFL’s Arizona Cardinals
    • NBA’s Phoenix Suns
    • MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks
    • NHL’s Arizona Coyotes
    • WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury
    • Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers
    • USL’s Phoenix Rising FC

Read the full research report: Phoenix, AZ. We interviewed the people that live there to find out what makes their city special. Stay tuned for more city research.

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Audience Branding Insights Strategy & Positioning
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Image 8@2x

A distinctive brand asset has two characteristics—it must be ‘unique’ in that it only evokes the one brand, and it must be ‘famous’, meaning that everyone who sees it, thinks only of that brand. Of these two, uniqueness is most important. Ehrenberg-Bass Institute

When most people see a pair of golden arches or hear the “Two all-beef patties, special sauce….” jingle, nobody needs to mention the brand name to know which fast-food chain they come from.

Not everybody loves McDonald’s or Burger King. Still, most people stop for a sandwich, at least occasionally. Since hungry diners know what to expect from these brands, they stand out as popular choices. Families and friends don’t have to discuss the menu because almost everybody believes that BK’s burgers taste better, but McDonald’s wins on fries. Thus, this distinctive branding provides these chains with a valuable asset.

Most importantly, nobody confuses these two brands with each other or any similar fast-food chains because they’ve developed distinctive and unique brand assets, which are also famous. Dig into the art and science that marketers rely upon to develop these critical assets.

Semiotics

Academics call the study of meanings behind signs and symbols semiotics. Humans almost certainly responded to symbols before they invented writing, and people may have this ability to assign meaning to signs hard-wired into their brains. For instance, people can learn to communicate with sign language as adeptly as others respond to spoken words.

In today’s interconnected world, where people interact without always speaking the same language, semiotics sometimes still trump spoken language in importance. For instance, each country’s flag uses simple graphics to express something about the land it represents. The U.S. flag displays 50 stars for each state and stripes for the original 13 colonies. The Canadian Maple Leaf represents hope and prosperity.

The golden arches form an “M” for McDonald’s, but they can also signify an open archway or entrance, inviting hungry patrons to enter. The golden color can indicate quality or at least the standard of consistent quality people expect from a global chain of fast-food burger joints. Thus, marketers should consider visual elements of branding in light of how consumers will interpret them.

Designers who use semiotics use different tactics to achieve the desired result:

  • Bottom-up semiotics begins with selecting potential symbols and asking key questions to uncover the meaning people associate with them. For instance, a coffee company might start with various images of steaming mugs or coffee beans and learn how survey groups react.
  • Top-down semiotics starts with an abstract concept to find out what sort of ideas or associations it conveys. The coffee company might begin with concepts they want people to associate with their brand, like freshness, aroma, or energy to learn which images people associate with these ideas.

Brand logos

The way consumers interpret logos can give consumers an instantly recognizable and positive reaction to a brand… or not. As discussed on the Big Eye blog, no creative type wants to design a logo so jarring that 50,000 local residents sign a petition to remove it, as with London’s Olympics logo in 20212.

In 2016, Uber changed its logo to represent a “bit” that was supposed to evoke the company’s digital nature, but to most people, it just looked like a backward C. In 2018, Uber relented and changed the logo to its brand name, wasting two years of branding opportunities in the process.

Better examples of distinctive, evocative logos might include: 

  • The arrow in the Amazon logo points from “A” to “Z” to demonstrate to shoppers they can find almost anything to buy on the retail site.
  • Chick-Fil-A’s logo designer cleverly made a chicken out of the “C” to emphasize the main ingredient in most of this brand’s food.
  • Burger King’s logo framed the brand name with the top and button of a simple, stylized hamburger bun, making the meaning obvious.

Besides merely designing a logo that might look good on an outdoor sign, brands need to consider other ways to use the graphic. For instance, the same design will probably appear in ads in various sizes and mediums or on packaging. One primary challenge designers face will include designing a distinctive image that can scale and adapt to different sizes and mediums. 

Brand audio

According to the National Library of Health, most people demonstrate a preference for a visual learning style. Interestingly enough, that percentage might rise to as much as 80 percent in higher education, perhaps suggesting that the educational system serves that population best or trains students to prefer visual learning. Maybe that explains why most discussion of distinctive branding focuses on images.

Undoubtedly, scientists consider most visual learners, but even people who don’t prefer it also learn verbally. Successful brands take advantage of this by producing distinctive audio. For instance, radio, podcasts, and music stand out as popular mediums.

For example, consider the T-Mobile ringtone, the Windows startup tone, and famous jingles that people recognize decades later, like the Oscar Meyer and Burger King Whopper advertising jingles. According to Live Science, sounds form lasting cognitive and emotional memory connections. Thus, businesses can develop distinctive tones or vocals to make their brands memorable.

Does distinctive branding extend beyond verbal and audio?

As a note, odors can also form strong emotional connections. Still, marketers don’t have a way to broadcast the fragrance of roasting coffee or a chargrilled burger over TV, radio, or the internet. At least, nobody has invented one yet.

All Starbucks don’t look the same, but fans of the brand can’t mistake the universal fragrance of roasting coffee when they step inside the door. Such local businesses as coffee houses, candle shops, and hamburger restaurants often use the scent of their products to attract customers. Even if marketers lack the technology to broadcast smells through internet connections, they can consider using visual images to evoke them, like the steaming cup of coffee in a Maxwell House ad. 

Why invest in distinctive brand assets?

Distinctive brand assets help people instantly recognize businesses, with clear associations for brand expectations. Images, words, and even sounds and smells can serve in this way. As in the case of branding mishaps, even by large organizations, businesses need to ensure they’re evoking positive associations that attract customers and not negative ones that might draw scorn. As a DTC branding agency in Florida, we’re here to ensure customers’ memories of our client’s brands are good ones.

 

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Screen Shot 2022 04 04 at 9.23.44 AM

Salt Lake City, Utah: Fast Facts

Salt Lake City is the largest city in Utah with a current population of 200,831 as of 2021. Salt Lake City is one of two major urban areas in the Great Basin, the other being Reno Nevada. Salt Lake city is located East of the Great Salt Lake and West of the Wasatch Range.

There is a population growth rate of 0.07%. The median age for those who live in Salt Lake City is 32. 46% of residents in Salt Lake City have a bachelor’s degree or higher. 

A variety of industries thrive in the Salt Lake City area. The first being Educational Services, followed by Health Care and Social Assistance.

The highest paid industry is Mining, Quarrying, and Oil & Gas Extraction. 

The city is known for being the religious center for Mormons. 

The racial composition of Salt Lake City is 65% White, 20% Hispanic, and 2% Black. 

“When I relocated to Utah back in 2009, I never expected to fall in love with Salt Lake City. I figured I would spend a few years working at my job, get itchy feet, and move away again. What I didn’t anticipate was how Salt Lake City would reach out and wrap its arms around my heart.”

Current Resident

Salt Lake City Neighborhoods

Downtown: This area is the heart and soul of Salt Lake City. A hub for art, restaurants, music, shopping, and nightlife. Downtown, you can visit a wide array of restaurants lining Broadway and Main Street. Visit the historic Temple Square, that Mormons built when first arriving in Salt Lake City. Farmer’s Markets, art galleries, live music, and Utah Jazz NBA allow for endless entertainment in Downtown. 

Sugar House: This neighborhood is known as Salt Lake’s artesian flair. Being one of Salt Lake’s oldest neighborhoods, it is now the epicenter for eclectic local shops, restaurants, bookstores, and art galleries. This area is the #1 spot to shop in Salt Lake City. Sugar House Park is the crown jewel, with 110.5 acres of hills, mountain views, bike paths, a large lake, this is definitely a breathtaking experience. 

Central City:  Just East of Downtown, Central City is known for its outdoor attractions, art galleries, and Trolley Square (a partially enclosed shopping center in a historic trolley barn). The Gilgal Sculpture Garden is an outdoor art museum featuring Mormon scripture and historical statues. Central City’s Liberty Park is the perfect outdoor spot for a picnic by the pond, nike ride, or visiting the large greenhouse. 

University/Foothill: This neighborhood is home to the University of Utah. This college town is not only meant for college students. With beautiful art museums, arboretums, and clubs, Foothill has plenty of entertainment. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is the perfect trail located on the hillside above the campus.  The Red Butte Garden encompasses trials, a pond, an outdoor amphitheater, and gorgeous views. 

Capitol Hill:  In Capitol Hill you can get the best view in the city. At the high elevation of Ensign Peak, you can catch a view of the entire Downtown area. Capitol Hill is home to beautiful architecture; From the Capitol building, to its Victorian style homes. The area outside of the Capitol building is known as the Marmalade district, home to many fruit trees planted by pioneers who first inhabited the area. 

The Avenues: The Avenues is Salt Lake City’s largest historic district. This area has views of the Wasatch Mountains and the Salt Lake Valley. There are many hiking trails, local eateries and shops, making this area walkable. The Avenues is the perfect blend of historic and contemporary. Memory Grove park is the start of many trails and has monuments, creekside paths, and picnic areas.  Governor’s Mansion is a sight to see for a French Chateauesque lover.

Doing Business in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, Utah was named #21 for “Best Place for Business and Careers” by Forbes in 2019.

Key Industries: Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, and Retail Trade.

Major Employers: University of Utah, State of Utah, Intermountain Health Care, United States Government, LDS Church Religious Agencies.

Cost of Living in Salt Lake City

Cost of living in Salt Lake City is 6% lower than the national average 

Utility prices are 22% lower than the national average

Transportation expenses like bus fares and gas prices are 7% higher than the national average. 

Salt Lake City has grocery prices that are 2% lower than the national average.

Healthcare in Salt Lake City is 7% lower than the national average.

Median Household Income of $73,778

Salt Lake City Apartment Living

Average rent in Salt Lake City is $1,478 with an average apartment size of 836 square feet. The neighborhoods that are the most expensive are Sugar House ($1,603) and Capitol Hill ($1,575).

The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Salt Lake City increased 14% compared to the previous year. The average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment increased by 15% compared to the previous year.

What Salt Lake City Renters Want

Here are the top things tenants report looking for in a property.

  • Security Features
  • Secure Online Payment Options 
  • Move-in Ready Condition
  • Updates Appliances
  • Outdoor Spaces
  • Flexible Lease Options

“I love this city! I was born and raised and am still here 27 years later. We have so much to do and are so close to the amazing national parks. So much to be thankful for in the city.’’

Current Resident

Arts, Recreation, and Entertainment in Phoenix

Salt Lake city is known for its outdoor vistas. From its many hiking trails, like Dry Gulch Trail, to its short drive to the mountain tops, like Mount Olympus, Salt Lake City is a nature lover’s dream. 

Every year in June, Utah’s Art Festival takes place in Downtown Salt Lake City. This weekend-long extravaganza includes over 165 visual artists, live music, food vendors, and more. 

There are 9 ski resorts within an hour of Salt Lake City.  Some include Alta Ski Area, Brighton, and Snowbird.

Located in the University/Foothill neighborhood, Utah’s Hogle Zoo is 42 acres and houses 800 animals. This zoo offers many exhibits (such as the Rocky Shores exhibit with polar bears and sea lions), zoo classes for children and adults. 

One of Salt Lake City’s biggest events is their Sundance Film Festival. This takes place once a year for two weeks. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States. People travel from all over, even some celebrities. 

Being that Salt Lake city is in a valley, there are many opportunities for hiking with breathtaking views. These trails range from easy and family friendly, like Ensign Peak, to challenging, like Red Pine Lake.

The Leonardo is an art, technology, and science museum located near Downtown. Their Art Through Experience exhibit is an immersive exhibit featuring artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, da Vinci, and more. 

Liberty Park and Sugar House Park are the perfect spots for an afternoon stroll. Liberty Park has many paths, picnic tables, a large greenhouse, an aviary and botanical garden, a pond, and much more. Sugar House Park had many pavilions, playgrounds, a pond, and during the winter, the perfect hill for sledding.

Salt Lake City has great options for shopping. The Gateway is an urban outdoor shopping plaza in Downtown. There are many options for shopping, dining, as well as an Urban Flea Market on the weekends. 

Salt Lake City Sports Teams:

  • Utah Jazz (basketball)
  • Real Salt Lake (Soccer)
  • Utah Royals FC (Soccer)
  • Utah Warriors (Rugby)
  • Utah Grizzlies (Hockey)
  • Salt Lake Bees (Baseball) 
  • Utah Utes (College Football)
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LasVegas scaled

We found out everything you wanted to know about the makes the Sin City so great to live in from the people that call it home. Download our Las Vegas, NV Research Report to review all of the details.

Las Vegas, NV: Fast Facts

Las Vegas is the 25th largest city in the United States.

Las Vegas is currently growing at a rate of 1.21% annually.

Las Vegas is number 16 for large cities with the highest growth.

The current metro area population of Las Vegas in 2021 is 2,772,000.

It is also the third most visited city in the US

Las Vegas is located in south Nevada, east of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

The median age for those who live in Las Vegas is 38.

25% of Las Vegas residents have at least a Bachelor’s degree.

A variety of industries thrive in the Las Vegas area. The first being Leisure and hospitality, followed by trade, transportation, and utilities.

The tourism, gaming, and entertainment industry provide more than 315,000 jobs in the state of Nevada.

Residents are known as Las Vegans and the city is also known as Sin City.

“It is a very colorful city, but there are so many things to do outside of the strip. There are so many food places to try, so if you like to try new food, this is the place for you. The nightlife here is mainly for adults, but the strip is very visually friendly for families.”

Current Resident

Las Vegas Neighborhoods

Downtown Las Vegas – This is where Las Vegas got its start. Walk along Fremont Street, filled with casinos, souvenir shops, trendy bars and more. Take a ride on the 12-story SlotZilla Zipline across Fremont Street. Downtown Las Vegas is full of coffee shops, tattoo parlors, and the best local restaurants. In the Art District, First Friday is a monthly event that showcases local artists, live music, food trucks, and more. The Downtown Container Park is the perfect spot for families. It is built out of 44 repurposed shipping containers, has a lawn for picnics, and play structures for kids.

Summerlin – From apartments in Downtown Summerlin, to luxury homes in the Kings Canyon neighborhood, Summerlin has a home for every type of buyer/renter. Summerlin is known for its expansive outdoor recreational amenities. Hike, walk, run, or bike in more than 150 miles of trails. Being right against the Red Rock Canyon, Summerlin has beautiful views and the perfect place for an outdoor lover. Downtown Summerlin has a weekly Farmers Market, yearly Festival of Arts, plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities. Summerlin is also home to the Las Vegas Ballpark where the Las Vegas Aviators play.

Paradise – Paradise is home to The Strip, the part that Las Vegas is known for. Walk along the 4 mile strip to discover luxury resorts and extravagant casinos. Snap a picture with a Las Vegas ShowGirl or the famous Welcome to Las Vegas Sign. Feed sharks at the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef Aquarium where there are over 30 different sharks and over 2,000 animals. Paradise has endless options for dining, including celebrity chef restaurants, shopping, and much more. Catch a view of The Strip from the High Roller observation wheel, a 550 foot tall ferris wheel.

Whitney – Whitney is located east of Paradise. This is the perfect area for families. It is quiet, has a slow paced suburban feel, a sense of community, and has scenic views. Whitney is home to Wetlands Park, the largest park in Las Vegas. There are trails for walking and hiking.

Henderson– Henderson is one of the oldest suburbs in Las Vegas that remains one of the best areas to live in today. Located right above Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, Henderson has easy access to hiking trails where you can spot nearly 1,700 designs representing native cultures from Archaic to historic era. Though the residential areas are on the quiet side, there is an up and coming downtown area. This area has been coined the Booze District, home to local breweries and distilleries. For those with a need for speed, at Speed Vegas you can drive super cars, like Lamborghini and Ferrari, on their outdoor track.

North Las Vegas – North Las Vegas is the northmost area of the Las Vegas Valley. There are many outdoor recreational activities here. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a short drive to the east. Mount Charleston is just west of North Las Vegas. Aliante Nature Discovery Park is a 20 acre park with a playground,
lake, waterfall, and walking trails. Head out to Las Vegas Motor Speedway to watch a drag race. The Speedway is also the HQ of Exotic racing, where you can drive supercars. North Las Vegas has their fair share of casinos, such as Texas Station Hotel and Casino.

Doing Business in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada was named 49th on Forbes’ list of “Best Places for Business and Careers” for Job Growth. The major industries are tourism and gambling. Las Vegas has coined itself “The Entertainment Capital of the World”.

Key Industries: Tourism, Gaming, Conventions, Health and Medicine, Information Technology, Aerospace and Defense, Manufacturing, Mining, and Natural Resource Technologies

Major Employers: Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel, MGM Grand, Johnson Electric, Scientific Games, Diamond Resorts International, Golden Entertainment.

Cost of Living in Las Vegas

Cost of living in Las Vegas is 3% higher than the national average

Utility prices are 10% lower than the national average.

Transportation expenses like bus fares and gas prices are 14% higher than the national average.

Las Vegas has grocery prices that are 4% higher than the national average.

Healthcare in Las Vegas is 3% higher than the national average.

Median Household Income of $59,853

“I used to live in Virginia and moving here was a great experience. The people are so kind and you never run out of things to do here.’’

Current Resident

Arts, Recreation, and Entertainment in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is famous for The Strip, a 4.2 mile stretch lined by casinos, luxury resorts, hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, and more.

The luxury hotels on The Strip are known for their extravagant architecture and entertainment. Gondola rides are available at The Venetian Resort. Caesars Palace replicates ancient Rome and hosts celebrity entertainment often. Flamingo is
the oldest resort on The Strip. The Bellagio is famous for its elegance and the Fountains of Bellagio, a large dancing water fountain synchronized to music.

Las Vegas is home to over 130 casinos, 51 being located on The Strip.

Shopping centers such as Las Vegas Premium Outlets is one of the more famous malls in Las Vegas. For luxury brands, there are shopping centers inside the Venetian, the Grand Canal Shoppes, and the Bellagio, the Bellagio Shops.

Las Vegas’s Sport Teams:

Las Vegas Raiders (Football)

Vegas Golden Knights (Hockey)

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 

Las Vegas Lights (Soccer)

Read the full research report: Las Vegas, NV. We interviewed the people that live there to find out what makes their city special. Stay tuned for more city research.

Categories
Audience Branding Insights Strategy & Positioning
BrandStorytelling 2 scaled
BrandStorytelling 2 scaled

Marketers have an easy time finding examples of high-quality brand storytelling. For instance, consider the best and most memorable Superbowl ads. Newsweek reported that 30-second advertising spots during the big game cost $6.5 million just for the airtime. 

Despite the price, those ad slots sell out fast. Besides costing sponsors an incredible amount of money, the most successful and memorable Superbowl ads share the common tactics of using engaging, relatable stories to market brands, connect with a vast audience and tell people what they stand for. 

What makes brand storytelling successful?

Why do the biggest businesses spend so much money airing their stories during popular programs, like the Superbowl? Brand storytelling can connect with and entertain viewers and evoke empathy. Most importantly, they encourage people to discuss both the advertisements and the brand the next day at work and sometimes, long after the audience forgets the details of the game. This word-of-mouth buzz makes successful stories priceless, even if they’re expensive. 

Harvard Business Review observed that stories attract and engage people because of humanity’s social nature and desire to connect. Stories that connect emotionally actually impact our brains neurologically by releasing feel-good hormones that can help dull other concerns and help us remember these stories positively. 

Of course, not everybody connects with every story, and no organization wants to invest in a good story only to have it fail to promote the brand. Thus, the best DTC brand story should support the values and interests of its audience. The story should also integrate the brand identity in fundamental ways and not just as an afterthought. 

For instance, almost everybody has grandparents. Sadly, most people have lost loved ones during their lives. Google’s “Loretta” advertisement told the story of an older man who wanted to remember his deceased wife. He turned to Google Search and Google Assistant to help. This 90-second advertisement manages to conjure tears, mention Google brands, and demonstrate ways to use some of the company’s core products. 

How does your brand sound?

Most discussion around branding centers around visuals. At the same time, Harvard Business Review asked an important question: What does your brand sound like? HBR referred to audio branding as a potential competitive differentiator for many businesses because it’s frequently overlooked and undervalued by their competitors. 

Sometimes referred to as sonic or sound branding, audio branding can influence consumers on several levels. Think of the sound that a Harley makes when it revs, a champagne cork makes when it pops, or a Mac computer’s chime as it boots. These sounds conjure up visual images and in some cases, memories. 

Research also supports the idea that some sounds can improve the listener’s satisfaction with an experience. People respond to sounds faster than visuals, so branding audio works well for sending a quick, evocative message. This nonverbal form of communication resonates deeply. Also, businesses can spread it across many platforms, like their apps, advertisements, and in some cases, products. Audio branding can grow as pervasive and work as quickly and effectively as a well-considered graphic logo. 

As part of a DTC strategy for brand recognition, audio branding can offer direct sellers a competitive advantage because even in a crowded marketplace, most competitors don’t employ it. In particular, for audio-only formats, audio branding can make up for the lack of logos and other brand images. 

For instance, the French railroad line SNCF faced competition from other railroads and airlines. SNCF developed a distinctive, upbeat tune to associate with the brand in response. The railroad enjoyed positive results when it used this music to begin TV ads. SNCF also started prefacing in-station announcements with the tune because passengers found it soothing. 

Who’s doing brand storytelling well?

These examples of some of the brightest brand storytelling successes can help provide some inspiration. 

Reddit 

Last year, Reddit didn’t cough up enough money for a 90-, 60-, or even 30-second Superbowl ad. Instead, they grabbed just five seconds. What appeared like random images of an auto race, then a Reddit post, and finally, a horse race turned into a bonanza. 

Undoubtedly, Reddit’s brand story agency took a gamble with the advertisement. The ad felt jarring. Still, the social site knows its audience, and it worked. Hundreds of thousands of people turned to another screen, besides the one on their TV, for help interpreting what flashed across their TV screen so quickly. View the advertisement and conversation on Twitter. 

Dove

Consumer product brands like Dove soap face stiff competition and need to earn their standing as recognizable brand names. Dove’s “Reverse Selfie” ad only displayed the brand’s name and logo at the beginning. The rest of the story showed a girl glamming up to post a selfie on social media. At first, the audience only saw the enhanced images of the girl, making her appear like a sophisticated young adult. 

Finally, the camera closes in on an adorable young girl without any artificial enhancements and a message that pressure from social media harms self-esteem. The story resonated with plenty of social media users and their parents. It gave Dove a chance to connect with its audience by demonstrating that the brand represents authenticity and natural beauty. View the advertisement on YouTube. 

The future of storytelling for marketing 

According to a Think With Google discussion, the future will include brands increasingly using storytelling to communicate their values and purpose. Businesses will strive to connect with customers by understanding them and even incorporating customers’ stories to demonstrate authenticity. In the past, businesses sought to tell customers what they should want, but in the future, companies need to tell their audience who they are and what they can offer. 

Even businesses that can’t yet afford a Superbowl spot can benefit from storytelling ads on multiple platforms. These companies can use storytelling on podcasts, Youtube, blogs, social networks, and TV and radio. The media can include text, sounds, images, and videos. 

As a brand story agency, we’re excited to help tell your story. Find out more about brand storytelling in this interview with Miri Rodreguez, the author of “Brand Storytelling.”

Categories
Insights Real Estate
Adrain PressRelease
Adrain PressRelease

Bigeye, a strategy-led, full-service creative agency building brands for clients globally, has announced the promotion of Adrian Tennant to Chief Strategy Officer as part of a long-term planning initiative. 

Since joining Bigeye in 2019 as VP of Insights, Adrian has grown and led the agency’s audience development practice, responsible for all quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies to inform media planning and inspire creative campaigns. In his new role as Chief Strategy Officer, he will continue to leverage his more than two decades of professional experience in advertising planning and strategy to deepen the agency’s strategic approach. 

“Adrian has been instrumental in advancing Bigeye’s unique approach to achieving our clients’ marketing objectives through strategic thinking backed by consumer insights,” said President Justin Ramb. “Under Adrian’s leadership, he will continue to build our consumer research and strategy services that provide actionable insights for our partners.” 

Bigeye serves clients in a wide range of markets from its headquarters in Orlando, FL. Its award-winning teams have expertise in the full spectrum of marketing and advertising disciplines, including research, strategy, and campaign management and optimization. Bigeye’s research methodologies go beyond simple demographics to build effective strategies that excite, engage, and empower consumers. 

“Our strategy enables the leading companies we work with to cut through the noise and make powerful, profitable connections with their target market,” added Ramb. “I’m excited about how Adrian will continue to further lead Bigeye’s strategy team and what solutions he can bring to our clients.” 

About Bigeye

Located in Orlando, Florida, Bigeye is a strategy-led, full-service creative agency that crafts deeply compelling brand experiences and the strategies that ensure they reach the right people, in the right place, at the right time. The Bigeye team of experts works closely with clients to better understand the needs of their consumers and deliver measurable results.

Categories
Branding Consumer Insights Creative & Production Direct-To-Consumer Insights
BrandStrategyManagement scaled
BrandStrategyManagement scaled

Regardless of the size of your organization, as a brand manager or marketer, you’ve likely had to make some difficult choices in the face of constantly evolving consumer behaviors and elevated expectations during the pandemic. E-commerce adoption and price inflation have both grown exponentially, while supply chain issues continue to be a persistent headache for brands, negatively impacting revenues and endangering long-term growth. In this guide, we’ll explain how combining datasets can answer questions about your brand’s health and where to steer your brand strategy.

Introducing The Four S’s of Brand Strategy Measurement

Researchers and strategists intuitively seek to triangulate data sources whenever possible because reviewing different sources of customer and business data reveals anomalies and inconsistencies that are not apparent when relying on a single set of study results. When you combine datasets, you also see opportunities to treat some measures as proxies for data that has historically been harder to obtain or unreliable in present market conditions. 

For a holistic, real-time view of your brand strategy, tap into the 4 S’s of brand measurement: sentiment, search, social, and sales.

1. Consumer Sentiment

Brand lift measures advertising effectiveness, comparing pre-and post-ad campaign results, usually with some control markets to ensure that lift is attributable to advertising rather than external factors. If you have not run a brand lift study before, there are several ways of doing so, including a digital programmatic solution that continuously measures brand lift using A/B testing with in-market respondents. This enables the continuous optimization of campaigns to focus on brand key performance indicators. 

Brand trackers measure brand-specific KPIs longitudinally. If you currently run a tracker, consider adding new questions to ongoing surveys to start tracking consumer attitudes toward issues such as price sensitivity, product availability, delivery, collection options, and any others that are applicable to your brand. If you don’t have a brand tracker, consider establishing one. If you don’t want to commit to a set cadence, many agile research solutions exist that enable data collection from statistically significant samples of consumers within a matter of hours. 

2. Share of Search

In the past couple of years, measuring a brand’s share of search has emerged as a practical alternative to the long-established concept of share of voice, or SOV. Share of search as a brand measure was developed concurrently by two leading strategists in the UK, Les Binet, and James Hankins. This metric is equally accessible to brand managers, marketers, and agencies like Bigeye thanks to tools including Google Trends. 

What makes share of search so useful is that it’s proven to be highly correlated with market share, valuable not only in assessing ongoing brand health but also in predicting demand. As an alternative to manually searching Google Trends for volume data on your own brand as well as your competitors, the online platform MyTelescope combines searches, news, and social media, presenting data in a user-friendly visual dashboard.

3. Social Listening

Over the past decade, social networks have emerged as places where consumers connect and chat about all aspects of their lives – including sharing (and comparing) their experiences with products and services. For marketers, social media has grown in importance as both an organic and paid channel, with the newest platform, TikTok, seeing a massive rise in popularity during the pandemic. You may already be using social listening software to cut through the noise and identify meaningful signals in the firehose of social data, but if you’re not using a listening tool already, this is as good a time as any to consider doing so. 

Today’s tools typically incorporate some type of natural language processing and artificial intelligence. The value to brand marketers is that conversations taking place in social media reflect real-time perceptions and can provide a steady stream of insights around consumer sentiments toward your brand as well as the competition. This combination of qualitative and quantitative data is especially useful when triangulating data sources to reveal the “why” behind a spike in search volume, for example, as well as yielding insights unavailable elsewhere.

4. Sales Data 

If you’re working with a direct-to-consumer brand, you most likely have direct access to your sales performance and revenue data. But this is not the case for everyone. Maybe you sell to distributors and rely on syndicated sales from Nielsen or IRI. Brands that are distributed to unmeasured channels – those not tracked by a third party – may experience lengthy delays between the data collection and reporting.

Where sales data is hard or impossible to obtain, an alternative source can act as a proxy. We’ve already highlighted the correlation between share of search and market share, but you may also use historic campaign lead-to-conversion ratios to predict future sales. Consumers’ purchase intent can also be measured in longitudinal brand trackers as well as in brand lift studies, voice-of-the-customer data, ad hoc consumer surveys or in omnibus studies, where several non-competing brands can ask panelists questions.

Final Thoughts

A strategy focused on delivering long-term brand growth requires a corresponding commitment to brand building. Depending on the category, the impact of long-term initiatives can take up to 24 months to appear in market share metrics. CFOs – and markets – are impatient. The reality for most of us is that we have to balance performance marketing’s focus on short-term goals with long-term brand building.

The 4 S’s framework provides an agile analytics methodology to leverage consumer insights and brand measures, balancing long-term brand strategy and short-term performance marketing tactics.

Categories
Insights Real Estate
shutterstock 195653522
shutterstock 195653522

We found out everything you wanted to know about the makes the Rocket City so great to live in from the people that call it home. Download our Huntsville, AL Research Report to review all of the details.

Huntsville, Alabama: Fast Facts

Huntsville was ranked 3rd out of 25 best places to live in the U.S. for 2021-2022. It is home to one of the nation’s oldest existing railroad depots, complete with Civil War-era graffiti on the walls.

Huntsville is located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama. It spans through Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County. It’s the second largest city in Alabama. It is growing at a rate of 1.21% annually and the population has increased by 14.08% since the previous census (from 180,105 to 205,472.)

The median age is 36.9 years. In the Huntsville area, 44.1% of people have at least a Bachelor’s Degree. It has become the third  most technical workforce in the country, according to a Bloomberg analysis. Nearly 17 percent of the workforce is in a STEM job. The median tech salary for someone in the middle of their career is $96,400.

The leading employers in Huntsville include the U.S. Army, Huntsville Hospital, and the Marshall Space Flight Center. Huntsville is also known as Rocket City. It is home to the Marshall Space Flight Center and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Huntsville became a critical support line for the U.S. Army before helping to launch the Space Race.

US Census estimates from last year indicate that 61% of the population is white, 30% is Black, 6% is Hispanic or Latino, and 2% is Asian. 

According to the US Census Reporter, the population of Huntsville by age group is: 

0-9: 11%

10-19: 12%

20-29: 17%

30-39: 15%

40-49: 9%

50-59: 12%

60-69: 12%

70+:12%

Huntsville is without a doubt one of the most safe, fast-growing, and friendly cities in the country. Corporations like engineer-generating NASA and security-enforcing Redstone Arsenal are located right here in Huntsville, promoting impressive technological advancements and safety being of the upmost importance, not to mention the often “Hello!” and friendly wave!

Current Resident

Huntsville Neighborhoods

Downtown Huntsville: This area of Huntsville serves as an epicenter for property owners, business owners, tourists, businesses and more. Downtown Huntsville is located near the EarlyWorks Children’s Museum and the Huntsville Museum of Art, providing the perfect balance between business and pleasure. Downtown Huntsville also has the Big Spring International Park, providing a picture-perfect place for picnics.

Monte Sano: Monte Sano is an outdoor adventurer’s dream. The area boasts 22 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, dozens of campground sites and rustic cabins, 18-hole disc golf course, and the Von Braun Astronomical Society’s observatory and planetarium. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, the Monte Sano State Park holds a historic plaque where Hotel Monte Sano used to stand as a health resort.

Lowe Mill: Dubbed as Huntsville’s creative epicenter, Lowe Mill is located in the southwest part of Huntsville. It is home to the South’s latest privately-owned arts facility. Places to visit in Lowe Mill include comic shops, restaurants, art galleries, and the Campus No. 805 brewery.

Hampton Cove: One of the largest suburbs in the Huntsville metropolitan area. Home to the Hays Nature Preserve, there are special events for kids to explore the great outdoors and even more hiking and biking trails. Hampton Cove is seen as a desirable place to live with every amenity you could want: pharmacies, restaurants, recreation, and supermarkets.

Lincoln Mill: Recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, Lincoln Mill is home of the Lowry House which dates back to 1832. While it is also a historic area, Lincoln Mill is also the home of numerous start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures like Zero Point Frontiers, Ozone Joe’s, Bangham Engineering, Carina Technologies, and more. Lincoln Mill is a mixture of business, neighborhoods, and culture.

Merrimack: Inspired by New England architecture homes, it has earned the title of “old-house neighborhood”. The Merrimack Performing Arts Center serves as the enrichment center for the neighborhood, home of ornate productions in a 300 seat performance hall and 3,000 square foot dance studio. Merrimack is also home to the Merrimack Soccer Complex complete with 10 soccer fields. 

Research Park: Labeled as North Alabama’s Premiere Lifestyle Center, it houses the Bridge Street Town Center, filled with shops, restaurants, jewelers, and more. In addition to leisure options, the research park has technology firms, research facilities, educational institutions, and cultural hotspots.

Doing Business in Huntsville

Miami, Florida was named 56th on Forbes’ list of “Best Places for Business and Careers” for Job Growth. Financial services and tourism flourish here. Miami was also named Top City for Small Business growth by Forbes.

Key Industries: professional, scientific, and technical services, manufacturing, health care and social assistance, retail, and educational services.

Major Employers: Dynetics, Lockheed Martin, SAIC, ADTRAN, Northrop Grumman, Hexagon, U.S. Army, Boeing

Companies who won ‘Best Places to Work’ in Huntsville: IronMountain Solutions, Simulation Technologies, INC., QTEC Aerospace, KODA Technologies, and Boecore

Major Tech Companies with Offices in Huntsville: Radiance Technologies, Dynetics, Yulista Holding, Collazo Enterprises, and MadCoSchools

Awards: 

  • Google eCity 2013 — Google Inc.
  • A Top 50 Best Place to Live — CNN Money Magazine
  • #2 Best Place In The United States To Grow Up — U.S. News & World Report
  • Best Cities For Young Families In Alabama — NerdWallet
  • First in affordability by U.S. News

Cost of Living in Huntsville

Cost of living in Hunstville is 5 percent lower than the national average and the housing expenses are 26% lower than the national average. However, utility prices are 10 percent higher. Huntsville was named 1st in the 25 best affordable places to live by U.S. News and World Report

Median Household Income of $55,305

Huntsville Apartment Living

Huntsville’s rent has seen a 19 percent rent growth since March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic is upending the US’s rental market, with prices dropping in large, expensive cities but rising in typically more affordable locations, a report from Apartment List found. 

The median rent in Huntsville for a 1-bedroom apartment is $967 and the median rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $1,204.

Renters will find more reasonable prices in Huntsville than most large cities. For example, Los Angeles has a median 2BR rent of $4,596, which is over twice the rent in Huntsville.

What Huntsville Renters Want

Here are the top things tenants report looking for in a property.

  • Work from home spaces
  • High-speed internet 
  • Walk-in closet  
  • Soundproof walls
  • Private parking
  • Fitness Center
  • Washer/Dryer
  • Roof decks and gardens

Huntsville is a great city for government employees and people of all walks of life. With NASA in town as well as a military arsenal, there’s plenty of employment opportunities. For leisure, there’s plenty of restaurants and entertainment at Bridge Street!’

Current Resident

Arts, Recreation, and Entertainment in Huntsville

Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment is the largest, privately-owned arts facility in the south. The historic factory building has been redeveloped into a space with more than 150 working studios for over 200 artists, makers, and independent businesses, 7 art galleries, a multi-use theater, 4 performance venues, restaurants, a foundry, a chocolate shop, and a community garden.

The arts activities to engage in include the Huntsville Museum of Art, the Spaces Sculpture Trail, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, and the Huntsville Ballet. 

In addition to the arts, there are various outdoor activities that people can participate in. Go on a boat ride on Ditto Landing or get your exercise in at Monte Sano State Park on one of the various hiking or biking trails.

Rocket City is the home of the latest space museum in the world: the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. This space center helped put a man on the moon and has history behind it. The museum has exhibits that include The Science of Guinness World Records, Apollo 11 VR, Shuttle Experience, Flight Simulator Experience, and Space Camp.

Annually, the city of Huntsville puts on a Galaxy of Lights event during the holidays.

Alabama is home to multiple sports teams:

  • Alabama Crimson Tide (College football)
  • Auburn Tigers (College football)
  • Birmingham Barons (Baseball)
  • South Alabama Jaguars (Professional football)

Read the full research report: Huntsville, AL. We interviewed the people that live there to find out what makes their city special. Stay tuned for more city research.

Categories
Audience Branding Insights Strategy & Positioning
BrandAudit scaled
BrandAudit scaled

January is the ideal month to identify what worked last year and determine which tactics and channels to prioritize in 2022. A brand audit can be the first step toward developing your annual marketing strategy.

Marketers must first understand what makes their offering stand out. After that, they need to make certain that consumers also associate those beneficial qualities with their brand. Businesses can work with a brand strategy agency to conduct a brand audit to gain perspective on both of these critical questions.

Why start the new year with a brand audit?

 

As discussed in an earlier Bigeye article, brand differentiation stands out as an essential marketing tactic for most businesses. A well-positioned brand makes it easy for consumers to quickly identify a company’s strengths and make instant and even unconscious decisions to patronize them instead of competitors. 

Brand audits offer businesses an opportunity to learn how a brand stands, how it has progressed, and how well it’s likely to keep performing in the future. From this perspective, marketers can strengthen their marketing strategies to react to such changes as an evolving business, new competitors, evolving technologies, or disruptive market conditions. 

The new year offers an excellent opportunity to perform a brand audit because the information uncovered will help update marketing plans for the first quarter and through the rest of 2022.

What Is a Brand Audit?

An audit typically captures and evaluates the brand across three dimensions to understand what’s happening internally, externally, and with your customers.

  1. Internal branding includes your brand mission, vision, values, and internal communication strategies. 
  2. External branding includes your distinctive assets including logos, print and marketing materials, PR, your website, social media presence, all your digital platforms, and the content you create for owned, earned, and paid channels.
  3. Customer experience includes the sales process, conversion optimization, customer service, and retention tactics.

How do you conduct a brand audit?

 

As a brand manager or owner, the audit process provides you with an opportunity to review marketing activity and evaluate whether it’s been working or not. Be honest about the current strategy you have – or don’t have – and seek alignment with your team on the way that you have been working.

  • What does the brand management team inside your organization look like? 
  • What projects did you work on in 2021? 
  • How have you been measuring the success of those efforts? 
  • What do you know about your customers? Have they changed since before COVID-19? 
  • What do you know about the performance of your communications tactics? 

Sometimes the answers to these questions can be embarrassing, even painful. That’s okay. Being responsible for managing a brand means being comfortable with ambiguity and admitting when there are failures – because they can unlock the greatest opportunities.

Sometimes, it’s hard for businesses to gain objectively from their position on the inside of a growing operation. A brand strategy agency like Bigeye can help you conduct a comprehensive brand audit.

Download the Bigeye Brand Audit Guide

 

 

Categories
Insights Real Estate
Miami Blog scaled
Miami Blog scaled

We found out everything you wanted to know about the makes the Magic City so great to live in from the people that call it home. Download our Miami, Fl Research Report to review all of the details.

Miami, Florida: Fast Facts

Miami is located to the east of Miami International Airport, on the coast of Biscayne Bay. It’s the 42nd largest city in the United States. Miami is number 4 for large cities with the highest growth. It is also the second most visited state in the US.

Miami is currently growing at a rate of 1.09% annually. The current metro area population of Miami in 2021 is 6,211,790.

More fast facts: 

  • The median age for those who live in Miami is around 40.7. 
  • 30% of Miami residents have at least a Bachelor’s degree.
  • A variety of industries thrive in the Miami area. The first being Leisure and hospitality, followed by professional and business services.  
  • The tourism industry contributes to the culture of the booming hospitality industry, as Miami outperforms hotels across the country with high occupancy rates.
  • Residents are known as Miamians and the city is also known as The Magic City.
  • Miami is racially diverse. 73% is Hispanic, 13% is Black, and 13% is White. 

I have grown up in Miami and living here has given me an exceptional educational and professional experience while also providing me with the opportunities for an engaging social life.

Current Resident
miami

Miami Neighborhoods

Wynwood – This area used to be a working class residential neighborhood that was connected to the garment districts, with warehouses everywhere. A slow transformation began that brought Wynwood to an area filled with eclectic restaurants, bars, and shops after the first commercial gallery, Dorsch Gallery, opened in 2000. Visitors can walk the streets and see art at every corner, as a part of the Wynwood Walls. In addition to street art, there are more than 70 galleries where you can purchase contemporary art or simply browse.

Brickell – Home of the DuPont Building (Miami’s only Art Deco skyscraper) and The Freedom Tower (where Cuban refugees were processed for U.S. entry), this area is a hub for living, dining, the arts, and entertainment. Brickell is along the Miami River. Brickell City Centre provides the shopping for this area with its ultra contemporary look and luxury stores. Dubbed one of the fastest growing destinations in the United States by AMG International Realty, job opportunities here include finance, insurance, and real estate.

Coral Gables – This is where you go if you want more Spanish inspired architecture. There are a variety of hot spots to go to when there is down time. Visit the historic Biltmore Hotel, go to the shops on Miracle Mile,  or watch a local production at the Actors’ Playhouse at Miracle Theatre. In addition, one can spend time outdoors by going to the Venetian Pool  or Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. “The City Beautiful” is an international city as it is a hub for more than 20 consulates and more than 140 multinational corporations.

Little Havana: This neighborhood is centered around Calle Ocho, a long street where you can find Latin restaurants, bakeries, fruit stands, cigar shops, art allergies and more. The tight knit community boasts their portraits of Cuban legends along its walls. Domino Park is a highlight where one can play dominoes and connect with neighbors. The entertainment scene here includes their Calle Ocho Music Festival and their own live music venue CubaOcho Museum & Performing Arts Center. 

Design District:  Home to shopping and arts, this 18 block area in Miami draws people in with the variety of things it has to offer. Luxury window shopping is a favorite pastime here as you walk past the long standing sculptures. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami is a hot stop for both tourists and locals to visit. 

Coconut Grove: Coconut Grove is seen as Miami’s most historic neighborhood. It is a bayside neighborhood with tropical trees and plants at every corner. It’s roots date back to the 1870s. Activities include sailing, going to beautiful restaurants and visiting historical sites. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens provides the best photo opportunities and draws tourists in. Farmer’s markets and arts festivals are hosted regularly.

I lived in Miami for seven consecutive years and in my opinion, it’s a place where you can have peace, enjoy shopping, go out with friends and family, enjoy a variety of restaurants and places to visit, and participate in any of the community events.

Current Resident
miami

Doing Business in Miami

Miami, Florida was named 56th on Forbes’ list of “Best Places for Business and Careers” for Job Growth. Financial services and tourism flourish here. Miami was also named Top City for Small Business growth by Forbes.

Key Industries: Financial services, tourism, media, agriculture, international trade, aerospace and aviation, and life sciences.

Major Employers: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, University of Miami, Baptist Health, American Airlines, Jackson Health System, Florida International University, Carnival Cruiselines. 

miami

Cost of Living in Miami

Cost of living in Miami is 14% higher than the national average. While healthcare and utilities in Miami is lower than the national average, transportation and grocery prices are 12% and 5% higher respectively.

Median Household Income of $53,045

Miami Apartment Living

Average rent in Miami is $1,915 with an average apartment size of 887 square feet. The neighborhoods that are the most expensive are Miami Design District ($2,321) and Brickell ($2,393). 

The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment decreased by -2% to $1,390 and for a 2-bedroom apartment decreased by -3% to $1,940.

What Miami Renters Want

Here are the top things tenants report looking for in a property.

  • Work from home spaces
  • High-speed internet 
  • Walk-in closet  
  • Private parking
  • Fitness Center
  • Washer/Dryer

Miami is a warm big city with a lot of great fun outdoor activities, you can always stay active and eat delicious food everywhere you go. The weather is to die for! The beaches are beautiful, the people are great! You could never find yourself bored in this city.

Current Resident
miami

Arts, Recreation, and Entertainment in Miami

Miami is seen as a South Florida hub of arts and culture.

Every year in December, Art Basel Miami Beach occurs which brings thousands of artists and tourists to the area. Galleries can be found all throughout the Design District leading up to the event almost always held at the Miami Convention Center. Year-round, tourists and locals can visit the Pérez Art Museum Miami to get their fix of the arts.

Downtown Miami hosts performing arts events as well. The Adrienne Arsht Center hosts tours and their own resident companies which include the Miami City Ballet, Florida Grand Opera, and the New World Symphony. 

Greater Miami also has science and history museums that appeal to adults and also kids. The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Downtown Miami has a large planetarium and a 500,000 gallon aquarium. 

The Freedom Tower serves as a reminder of Miami’s Cuban diaspora which is also home to the Museum of Art and Design for Miami Dade College. 

Miami is home to eight professional sports teams. 

  • Miami Heat (basketball)
  • Miami Dolphins (Football)
  • Miami Marlins (Baseball)
  • Miami F.C. (Soccer)
  • Miami United F.C. (Soccer)
  • Inter Miami C.F. (Soccer)
  • Miami Hurricanes (College Football)
  • Florida Panthers (Hockey)

Miami is also the hub for architectural gems like the Ancient Spanish Monastery. The monastery was originally built in Spain before being dismantled and shipped to be rebuilt in Miami. 

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens  is also another historical gem found in Miami. It is named after a shoreline found on the Spanish coast. It is now a place where one can visit and take pictures either in the home or of its beautiful gardens.

Read the full research report: Miami, Fl. We interviewed the people that live there to find out what makes their city special. Stay tuned for more city research.

miami