It's a long way from Shanghai to Chicago, but marketing could bring China closer, and bring a windfall to the Windy City, say Kellogg experts

By Romi Herron

Al Capone and the gangster era he epitomized are long gone as far as Chicago is concerned. But getting investors to buy into the modern Chicago remains a challenge, especially when those investors have parked their money a world away and know little about the American Midwest.

A team of Kellogg School marketers is helping find a solution.

For the city to attract Chinese investors, it must overcome perceptions of a metropolitan hub clouded with unpleasant weather and historically linked to organized crime. Instead, Chicago's major assets, such as O'Hare International Airport and a pro-business government, should be at the forefront of Chicago's image, said Clinical Associate Professor of Marketing Tim Calkins.

Calkins recently led a student team in a branding initiative, collaborating with the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, World Business Chicago and NuVista Strategies. Together, they created a marketing framework that Chicago can employ to improve China's perception of the city as a viable investment locale.

 Early on, the group gained qualitative insights from people with extensive experience living or working in China. Some Kellogg alumni and U.S. government officials participated in the research, which enabled the group to gather hypotheses about investors' attitudes toward Chicago. Details revealed many Chinese associate Chicago with severe weather and crime.

An online survey of Chinese executives yielded more insights and the study's recommendations for rebranding were submitted to the City of Chicago in April.