STATE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY AWARDED TOP HONORS FOR MARKETING, ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
BALTIMORE, MD (October 18, 2010) – Secretary Christian S. Johansson today announced that the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) today received top honors for its new suite of branded collateral materials and its creative advertising campaign from the Northeastern Economic Development Association (NEDA). The Department received the President’s Trophy in NEDA’s Literature and Promotions Competition, which is awarded to one recipient annually among all entries and recognizes the best and most effective economic development communications.
“In the past year, we have created and executed a tremendously successful branded messaging campaign designed to promote Maryland’s unparalleled competitive advantages to our business community,” said Secretary Johansson. “This campaign has played a critical role in our efforts to move Maryland’s economy in a positive direction, and I want to congratulate my team for winning this prestigious award.”
Awards judges reviewed DBED’s marketing materials, including Business in Maryland, a marketing brochure which touts Maryland’s competitive advantages in core industries; CyberMaryland, a research report that served to position Maryland as the nation’s epicenter for cyber security; and targeted industry brochures that focused on aerospace and defense, information and technology, health and life sciences and energy and sustainability. The judges also considered DBED’s innovative MaryLand of Opportunity advertising campaign, which highlights the State’s competitive advantages by featuring successful business owners.
“NEDA presents the President’s Award for Literature and Promotions to the single entrant that demonstrates the highest and most effective degree of creativity,” said NEDA Chair Brian Anderson. “Our 2010 award to Maryland’s Department of Business and Economic Development is based first on the way DBED has coordinated all the pieces to reinforce one another for maximum return on marketing investment.”
“The MaryLand of Opportunity campaign calls out the countless ways in which Maryland is unique and business focused,” said Allan Charles, Chairman and Creative Director of TBC, Inc., the Baltimore-based advertising firm that worked with DBED to create the campaign.“This clean, line-driven campaign gives reason after reason for businesses to come, stay and grow here, while the tagline positions Maryland as a place where anything is possible.”
The NEDA Award is DBED’s third major award this year in the Division of Marketing and Communications, which was formed in June 2009 by bringing together the research, creative services, public relations, marketing and interactive teams. Last month, the Center for Digital Government awarded DBED’s interactive business website, www.choosemaryland.org, with a 2010 Digital Government Achievement Award for being progressive and innovative, while also serving as a model for best practices. Earlier this year, CyberMaryland was recognized with the 2010 Excellence in Community & Economic Development Research Award from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), a national organization that promotes excellence in research.
In addition to creating a new suite of branded collateral materials and launching the MaryLand of Opportunity campaign, DBED’s Division of Marketing and Communications has launched three e-zines, Business Pulse, Economic Pulse and Global Pulse; redesigned DBED’s website to incorporate more interactive media features, better communicate Maryland’s competitive advantages and business community success stories and strengthen key economic and employment data; developed a social media strategy via Twitter, Facebook and Flickr, among others; and hosted a number of live webinars and streaming video meetings to promote key economic development initiatives.
Held annually, NEDA’s Literature and Promotions Awards recognize the best and most effective work in economic development across the eleven Northeastern states in categories ranging from “General Purpose” marketing to “Targeted Industries” strategies to “Annual Reports” and “Internet Websites”. Judged by an outside panel of marketing experts, every award indicates that the winner’s work represents creative and effective marketing, worthy as an example of the profession’s best work. The National Economic Developers Association was formed in 1956 to promote economic and industrial development in the Northeastern region of the United States. Members of NEDA represent a wide variety of disciplines including economic development, banking, real estate brokerage, law, engineering, and environmental consulting.