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THE MEDIA: LIFELINE TO SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS RECRUITMENT
REDCo has just completed the first three months of our contract with national media relations consultant, DCI, and the investment seems to be paying off handsomely. I have been in economic development for almost a quarter century (I started in Dallas in 1983) and I have participated in more interviews with national media in the past quarter than maybe my last 10 years combined. Due to the work of DCI, we have received attention from such notable publications as Aviation Week, Defense News, Government Security News, and Flight International.
At the writing of this newsletter, not all of these have published articles on our region, but we believe this is just the seed corn that will broaden (and eventually deepen) relationships with national media, which is something our community has sorely needed. With the ever raging debate on immigration and border security, I am convinced hiring DCI gives us the best opportunity to counteract misperceptions about life in our section of the border. Interestingly, the primary interest of these media outlets has centered around two areas of our regional economy: the growth of Fort Bliss (specifically the Future Combat Systems program) and the commercial spaceport under development north of Las Cruces.
Our region was graced by a very positive article in the New York Times. It was refreshing to have such a widely read publication able to capture the vibrant economic relationship that exists between El Paso and Juarez. The last line of the piece clearly shows that the New York Times reporter essentially captured what I feel was the most important message I tried to convey during the interview, "a successful immigration policy for the U.S. is to be actively engaged in creating and sustaining a healthy Mexican economy". Click here for a link to the article.
Our interaction with local media has increased in recent months as well. REDCo is consistently being sought out to provide expert commentary regarding the regional economy. This year, REDCo staff has had over a dozen face-time meetings with El Paso Times reporters alone. El Paso Inc. has reached out to us frequently as well.
I have also been writing a quarterly column (with the help of Alix Duchouquette) in the El Pasoan. If you have not read the piece that Alix and I put together regarding "recapturing the Hilton mentality" click here to connect to the article.
Our region has also received additional exposure from a variety of non-local publications this year. In January, The Washington Post featured Congressman Silvestre Reyes and the borderland in a two-page spread. ADP’s investment in El Paso was recognized as one of the top 10 Community Impact Award recipients in the March/April edition of Trade & Industry Development magazine. Soon after, ARMY magazine printed a three-page story on the AETF (Army Evaluation Task Force) at Fort Bliss. Additionally, AUSA News covered El Paso and the growth associated with BRAC. Texas Real Estate Business included REDCo in a feature entitled “The ABCs of EDCs”, which focused on economic development entities across the state and how they have been successful. Defense News (our first major placement with DCI and an advertising equivalent of $8400) released “First Big Test of FCS” which stemmed from several interviews conducted with local leadership in Washington, D.C. in February. Autoflug Safety Systems’ announcement of opening their manufacturing facility was highlighted in the state-wide read The Perryman Report & Texas Letter. And, REDCo’s internal staff promotions were highlighted in Twin Plant News this spring.
While we sent you a press release on this in April, it is worth mentioning again the fantastic recognition our region received in the April issue of Foreign Direct Investment magazine, which ranks Juarez and El Paso #1 and #2 respectively as the "top large (500,000 - 2,000,000 population) cities of the future" in North America. FDI is a publication of Financial Times and has a circulation of almost 16,000 targeted CEOs and other top management from around the world. Financial Times also displayed a full page ad in the May 4th edition of its weekly newspaper which is circulated to more than 400,000 readers primarily in North America, Europe and Asia. I attended an event in Boston on May 8th, while attending the Bio2007 Conference, to accept the awards on behalf of both our communities.
And, while in the midst of a national media relations campaign, we are also striving to achieve better understanding within the community of our economic development efforts. El Paso Times reporters and editorial staff will be briefed and updated on our business recruitment strategies later this month.
If at any time you are interested in a more in-depth presentation of REDCo briefing information, I will be happy to come to your place of business to share details of client activity and marketing efforts. Please call our office manager Denise Juarez at 915-534-0523 to arrange a meeting.
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