By Gregg Wasiak – 16 November 2018 21:09pm
Concept Farm, an ad agency that made the move from Manhattan to Long Island City in Queens earlier this year, offers its local tips to its soon-to-be neighbor, Amazon.
“Howdy” from Concept Farm, to our new Amazon neighbors. Gosh darn it, you guys sure know how to make an entrance.
The streets of Long Island City are buzzing from Hunters Point to Dutch Kills to Blissville. (Don’t worry, guys, that’ll all make sense soon enough.)
We’ve heard everything from gleeful anticipation to some very serious apprehension. We’re sure you can understand the mixed emotions — after all, it’s not every day you find out that one of the world’s largest companies is moving in just down the block.
That’s because LIC has a strong, passionate, vibrant, connected community. It’s exactly why we Farmers planted our homestead here. And we hope it’s a big part of what attracted you here, as well.
The helipad is a bit much, but I guess you heard about the parking situation.
We know the importance of a brand’s core values and everything it does should be a manifestation of that — including your office. So, Mr. Bezos and Amazonians, we offer a few LIC tips and advice that we know will resonate, strategically grounded in Amazon’s core values…
Earn Trust
You’re gonna love LIC. It’s awesome. There aren’t too many places in NYC where you can have your Tesla detailed, get a sweet beard trim, chow down on a killer burrito, and find amazing underground artwork all on the same block. Listen to the community, embrace the culture and diversity, and please build smartly. Above all, be Transparent. (See what we did there? Phenomenal show, by the way.)
Obsess over customers, not competition
LIC has a bevy of small businesses and reverberates with a friendly spirit. Local restaurants take care of their neighbors. LIC Market has home-cooked fare with sides of heart and soul and an epic selection of organic wines. It’s the perfect spot for happy hour with 24,999 of your closest coworkers.
Take risks for market leadership
Climbing the Amazon corporate ladder? Have a mountain of Prime Day orders to fulfill? The Cliffs at LIC is one of the biggest indoor rock faces in the country and for under 50 bucks you can get a 1.5-hour primer on climbing techniques to help you reach new heights in your new ‘hood.
Build a culture that’s right for your company
LIC is home to amazing cultural gems: the Noguchi Museum, Sculpture Center and, the iconic MoMA PS1, one of the country’s oldest nonprofit contemporary art institutions, where visitors can experience and take part in live art. Here, everyone can be an Amazon Original.
Empower your people
One of the best parts of being in Long Island City is having a view of the awe-inspiring Manhattan skyline, especially from Gantry Plaza State Park. You’ve seen it in movies (streamed on Amazon Fire) and read about it in books (on your Kindle) but nothing compares to seeing it in person.
Good luck with the move and, “Alexa, how do we send an email to Jeff Bezos?”
Gregg Wasiak is partner at Concept Farm