SMARTstart
Pasco EDC Receives International Marketing Award from IEDC
October 4, 2012
Pasco Economic Development Council (EDC) received a marketing award for its FY2011 Annual Report from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Competing in the category of communities with populations of 200,000 - 500,000. Pasco EDC was recognized at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 2, during the IEDC Annual Conference, in Houston, Texas. Pasco EDC was the only Tampa Bay community winning an award in any category and along with Space Florida and Palm Beach County, one of only three Florida organizations recognized in the international competition, which attracted 471 entries in 25 categories.
"We recognize Pasco Economic Development Council for creating innovative and successful strategies to promote economic development in this period of global recovery,” said Jay Moon, IEDC chair. “Our awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in communities. Pasco Economic Development Council demonstrates that they are at the forefront of the economic development profession and are using cutting-edge, effective practices that can be replicated in other communities."
“Most annual reports are dull and institutional. We took a different approach,” said Summer Martin, Pasco EDC Marketing/Events Coordinator. “We wanted an annual report that people would read. Concise and engaging like a magazine. We also incorporated kids from our new marketing campaign to raise our brand awareness.”
Pasco EDC’s marketing campaign was rolled out this year featuring arresting images of kids telling Pasco County’s story. The message to businesses is that there is “Room to Grow in Tampa Bay”, and according to the irrepressible spokeskids featured in the ads, the place to grow is in Pasco County.
In addition to the printed annual report, Pasco EDC also created an online flip-style version and promoted it through the Pasco EDC website, email marketing and social media.
“We want our community engaged in what we are doing,” said John Hagen, Pasco EDC President/CEO. “If we want to attract companies on the cutting edge of technology, then we need to be on the cutting edge of technology and be a leader in economic development.”
This is the third time that Pasco EDC has been recognized this year, and the fourth time in the past two years. Both the Florida Economic Development Council and Business Facilities: The Location Advisor, a trade publication for national and international corporate real estate and site selection news, have recognized Pasco EDC’s exemplary use of social media. Last year, Florida Economic Development Council recognized Pasco EDC’s website as the Economic Development website of the year. To view Pasco EDC’s FY2011 Annual Report visit www.pascoedc.com.
