The city of San Diego embarked on something ten years ago that few cities in the country have done.

In June 1999 the city council developed and adopted a Strategic Marketing Plan with The Pathfinder Group to create a Corporate Partnership Program aimed to develop resources through partnerships with the corporate community.

In 2007 Mayor Jerry Sanders hailed Verizon Wireless as the city’s “Official Wireless Partner”.

Under the five-year partnership, formalized in December of 2005, Verizon agreed to pay the city $250,000 annually for marketing rights. Employees of San Diego are offered incentives to join the wireless provider.

This is a $1.25 million dollar partnership…and just the beginning of the list.

In 2006 Metropolitan Credit Union became the exclusive credit union to offer financial services to City of San Diego employees, and is now designated as the “Official Credit Union” of the city.

The partnership has a potential value of $500,000 over five years. (View details on the partnership here.)

Pepsi is San Diego’s most extensive marketing partnership valued between $6.9 and $23 million over 12-years. This partnership includes gave San Diego numerous benefits including energy efficient vending machines, and two new city vehicles for the Park Ranger Program.

Pepsi was granted the designation “Official Beverage Provider” of the city and “Proud Sponsor of the City of San Diego” for use in promotional activities.

Cardiac Science is the “Official Automatic External Defibrillator Partner” and has provided over 4,800 AED’s to sustain San Diego’s Public Access Defibrillation Program.

The program has saved 51 lives to date. The revenue from this partnership will be used to operate and sustain San Diego’s Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Program. Funds from this partnership go directly towards PAD.

These are only a few of the corporate partnerships that San Diego has in the works. These partnerships generate millions of dollars each year that go into the general fund to pay for public safety, programs and maintain the city.

Dallas, Pittsburgh and Phoenix are just a few of the other cities involved in a similar marketing partnership program.

Click here for more Marketing Partnership staff reports from San Diego. ()