Greater Manhattan Economic Partnership recently won a Silver Rank for its Biosecurity Marketing Campaign, a project in the category of Regionalism and Cross-Border Collaboration of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
“We are thrilled to see the Greater Manhattan Economic Partnership recognized with this award. This campaign is a collaborative effort that leverages and promotes our region’s strengths in biosecurity and animal health during a time when there is a global focus on preventing future pandemics. The Greater Manhattan region is at the forefront of research and business development efforts that help ensure our nation’s safety and security. We are excited about the economic development opportunities that this campaign supports,” Daryn Soldan, Economic Development Director, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce.
IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders. Awards are judged by a panel of economic and community developers, following a nomination process held earlier this year. IEDC received over 500 submissions from 4 countries.
The Greater Manhattan Economic Partnership (GMEP) was founded in 2018 as a joint regional partnership between the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and the Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation. The goal of the campaign is to build local, national and international awareness of the Greater Manhattan region’s expertise in biosecurity, food production and infectious disease research - including a subspecialty in zoonotic diseases, especially where this expertise impacts prevention of future pandemics and protection of global food systems. Regional assets include the United States Department of Agriculture National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) and Kansas State University's Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI).
The approach focused on written and visual storytelling to foster a more emotional connection than data points alone. The creativity and high quality of the content and cohesiveness of the campaign, which included advertising on social media and search, were key to its success.