The Shenandoah Valley Partnership received a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award for its 2016 Harvest Box Save the Date project in the category of General Purpose Print Promotion from the International Economic Development Council in the 200,000 – 500,000 population classification.
The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 27, during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held Sept. 25-28, in Cleveland, OH.
“On behalf of the IEDC board of directors and Excellence in Economic Development Awards Advisory Committee, congratulations to the Shenandoah Valley Partnership. Not only did they work to provide a necessary service to their community; but also, their participation in the awards program sheds light on their stellar projects which other communities can now use as a benchmark.” – Barry Matherly, CEcD, FM,IEDC 2016 Board Chair, President & CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership.
SVP created a unique Save-the-Date marketing promotion to entice a select group of site location consultants to attend a September 2016 familiarization (FAM) tour, an event created to educate corporate decision makers and consultants on economic development opportunities in the region. Focusing on the Shenandoah Valley’s rich agricultural heritage and abundance of locally produced foods, a special “harvest season” gift box of local products was developed.
Branded marketing materials were designed to tie each product to a regional economic development asset and identify the strategic geographic location of the region. The Harvest Box was mailed in November, 2015 to align with the Valley’s harvest season and tied into a larger tour theme of a “nostalgic road trip to remember.” A second, complementary invitation box was mailed in July, 2016 with the road trip theme, complete with a Valley trip itinerary, local snacks, games, and a local music playlist. The graphics designed for this project are now leveraged throughout all of SVP’s standard marketing material, contributing to a cohesive, recognizable brand.
As a result of this effort, seven site location consultants from around the country attended SVP’s FAM tour and spent three days in the Valley. Site Consultants visited 11 local businesses in six different localities to better understand the agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, logistics, and workforce advantages of the region.
“This marketing effort was indicative of a new, unique and innovative approach for the Partnership, welcoming site selectors that we regularly visit in their corporate office locations here to the Valley to experience it for themselves. We are honored that SVP’s public-private Marketing Committee is being recognized for their hard work in highlighting the Valley’s distinctive products, resources and culture with the Valley’s personalized approach.”
IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognizes the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. These awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.
In addition, the City of Waynesboro received two Silver Excellence in Economic Development Awards in the less than 25,000 population category from IEDC. The two award-winning projects were the Grow Waynesboro Website and An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting a Business in Waynesboro, VA, both of which focused on developing and growing small businesses in the Valley.
“The awards process is a thorough, non-biased and multi-layered process. These are extraordinary accomplishments for all winners, and an overall great effort by all participants. We look forward to next year’s awards competition,” Matherly said.
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