Entry Form

Innovation Description

Innovations must be a product or service that utilizes technology in the invention or business itself or in the production of the invention or core processes of the business.

Connection: *

I currently own a retail store and service business in Vernal. As a hobby I own and operate a local promotions website called BasinPromotions.com. I’m also a member of the Downtown Merchants Association promoting VernalShopping.com. My idea is an expansion of my hobby and passion to organize and promote.

Describe your connection to the nominated innovation. For example are you the inventor, business owner etc.

Innovation Name: *

Vernal Promotions a Community Publications Company

Please list the innovations and company name, if applicable, exactly as you would want it to appear on an award trophy. For example "Innovation A by Company B". Please remember hyphenation and punctuation marks and capitalization. (50 characters or fewer)

Brief Description of Innovation: *

Vernal Promotions is a community publications company. By integrating a community radio station, web development services and a print publications company working together educating and promoting our community.

If your entry is selected as a winner, this brief description will be provided to the media and included in printed materials distributed at the Awards ceremony. Please write this description for a general audience. Avoid technical jargon. (30 words or fewer)

Complete Description: *

Vernal Promotions will be a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation owned by its members. Some board of directors will be voted in by members and others will be filled by open invitation from other community organizations. Our mission is to promote the local economy through educational media, social networking and cultural expressions of talents and creativity. Our mission is our name, Vernal Promotions. We will create community partnerships and operate a family of community based publication and media centers as tools to complete our goals. Each community based media center will be independently operated, yet focus on a common promotional goal. By using creative educational campaigns and publications that will unify our desire to support the place we live, work and play. Vernal Promotions will organize a community radio station, several social web sites and also publish monthly magazines and postcards about our community. Tourist enhancement promotions such as educational programs for businesses who want to become super hosts. Local groups and artistic minded people are able to express their cause or simply, “Strut their stuff”. An integrated community radio station will strengthen our purpose and identity by creating an outlet for amateur musicians to get their music heard. It creates an opportunity for young people, especially college students, who are interested in radio to learn about the business. Local public affairs programs, such as news, youth training, local sporting events, neighborhood history, city council hearings, election debates, call-in shows with local figures, politicians, and advice programs from doctors, lawyers, or other professionals. It can provide farmers with up to date agricultural information. Activist programs that explore different issues, such as the environment, education or health care. Cultural programs, radio theatre, dramatic readings of novels, poetry, interviews, etc. Radio programs can be published over the airwaves, on the internet, web phones and the cable channels. In addition local businesses will have internet radios playing a customized list of music plus have local announcers promoting our community. This will undoubtedly become the future of radio!

Provide a persuasive description of the innovation you are entering. Please write this description for a general audience. Avoid technical jargon.

Further Details

More Details About the Innovation In the boxes below, please provide more information that will help the Judges understand the significance of this innovation.

What Need is Met?: *

Current promotional campaigns give great ideas and thought such as the 3/50 project stating that every $100 dollars spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 stays in the community. If you spend it in a local national chain, only $43 stays. If you spend it out of town or online then nothing stays to help our community. In addition you may have heard slogans saying “Help our economy shop local” or “be local, spend local” or “Support your own Spend at Home” Although they are great statistics and slogans. They tend to make us think about who sent them and what do they have to gain. We never actually incorporate the message into our way of life. Each business or industry will sponsor their own interest group, who publishes their own message and in turn gives recognition and support back to the business or industry who sponsored them. Vernal Promotions will provide perpetuating synergy between the giver and receiver creating a much stronger community bond. Our community based media program will involve our family, friends and neighbors. It demands our attention as it pulls at our emotions and passions that give purpose to our lives. When viewing our magazine (or any publication) the reader sees a drawing form eight year old Tommy, who lives down the street. He uses drawings as therapy helping him cope with his chemo treatments. What an impact we can have when our publications are from and about our community. The campaign was created by our local cancer support group asking for more volunteers and financial support. They in turn would give thanks to their sponsor craft store who donated all the materials used to help their organization. These types of promotions will give us a reason to believe in the cause. It has a call to action for everyone to participate and be a part of something better. It has the classic teacher becomes the student learning ability. Integrating our message into our daily lives can have a significant impact toward our community. We will not only want to support our local economy we will have a passion to do so. Benefits can include public awareness and education, enhanced literacy programs, charitable expressions and venues, scientific studies, fostering amateur sports. Help in the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. It will improve community identity, pride, unity and purpose. We can even support Sunday religious venues.

What specific problem(s) does the innovation address? Who will be the main users of the innovation? How large is the market or the group of individuals who may benefit from the innovation?

Who is the Competition?: *

Even though there is no direct competition, there are many organizations with similar mission statements. It has been my experience that they become nothing more than social gatherings because they do not have the necessary tools, funding or members to complete their goals. How could we expect a carpenter to build our home if we didn’t give him the tools to accomplish the task?

List and briefly describe the main competitors to this innovation?

What Makes the Innovation Unique?: *

Vernal Promotions has a very unique community to operate from. We have the energy boom and bust cycle. We also have very unique tourist attractions. Our agriculture needs combined with the USU Entrepreneurial College offer us the perfect opportunity to promote all these organizations all the while promoting our local economy through educational media and community pride.

What makes the innovation especially unusual or important? Why is it innovative to your target market?

Stage of Development?: *

Concept

Proof of Concept

Prototype

First Users

Market Ready

Please select the one that best describes the innovation’s current stage of development.

Other:

You may visit www.VernalPromotions.com click on the bottom small print that says vision.

Please provide any other information that will help the selection committee evaluate the innovation.

Use of Prize Money

Describe Use of Prize Money: *

A portion of the prize money would pay professional services to setup the non-profit corporation. The remainder would pay a 50/50 community match towards the purchase of equipment such as the LPFM radio station or computers and printing equipment.

Please describe specifically how the prize money would help you further advance your idea/invention should it be one of the winners.