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Enterprise Florida is spending $1.5-million to tout the state as an ''innovation hub.''
By MARK ALBRIGHT, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 28, 2002
Enterprise Florida Inc. is launching a $1.5-million advertising campaign next month promoting Florida as "the innovation hub of the Americas."
That's about five times as much as the state government-backed agency ever spent marketing Florida's investment opportunities for business relocation and foreign trade. Officials say it's crucial they kick off the effort now that executives are thinking about their plans for more prosperous times.
"We need to tell our story far more aggressively," said Darrell Kelley, the new president and chief executive officer of Enterprise Florida, , which tries to recruit employers with high tech, biomedical and defense industry jobs that pay wages higher than the state average.
The campaign plans came up Tuesday during a news briefing in which Enterprise Florida executives outlined how Florida's economic recovery -- while still fragile -- has been faster than that of the nation as a whole.
The ad campaign is supposed to help convince decisionmakers that Florida has a more diversified businesses climate than its well-known staples of tourism, agriculture and retirement communities.
The state government is providing about $1-million for the ad campaign. That represents virtually all of the extra money the Legislature included in its $11.9-million contribution of tax funds to run Enterprise Florida for the fiscal year that began July 1. Officials hope to augment that with about $500,000 in cooperative ad money from regional economic development agencies.
The campaign includes radio ads, sponsorships of National Public Radio shows and print ads in such publications as Fortune, Business Week and Fast Company.
"The timing is critical and I don't think it could be better than now," said Stuart Rogel, president and chief executive officer of the Tampa Bay Partnership, which handles economic development in seven counties. "We saw a slowdown in the pipeline (of relocation prospects) since Sept. 11, but there are signs it's picking up."
Enterprise Florida officials have set a goal of increasing their annual advertising budget to $4.5-million within a few years.