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Two JAXUSA Partnership marketing initiatives received Gold Awards this month in the 2020 International Economic Development Council Excellence in Economic Development Awards.

JAXUSA’s business recruitment marketing video, Make Your Way to the Jacksonville Region, won the Gold Award for Multimedia Video Promotion. The redesigned website geared toward attracting talent to Northeast Florida, Find Your JAX, won the Gold Award for Special Purpose Website. Both awards were in the category for areas with populations of more than 500,000 people.

“When we’re trying to attract investment and jobs to our community, you have to be able to tell your story in a creative, succinct way, and the video and website are incredibly effective,” JAXUSA Partnership Chair Brad Talbert said. “This is tremendous recognition for the JAXUSA team, and they will continue to look for ways to get the word out to companies and families that they should give Jacksonville a look.”

The 2 ½ minute “Make Your Way” brand video gives an overview of the business, employment and livable landscape available in the Jacksonville region. The video highlights the region’s waterways with an original poem by local artist, Roderick Borisade, that covers all target industries and attributes of what makes the Jacksonville region attractive for business expansion and one of the fastest growing in the country. Through the words of the poet, the audience understands our low cost of living, benefits to doing business, exceptional education, infrastructure and quality of life, with the purpose of compelling them to want to have a connection to our community in Northeast Florida.

As available talent remains the single most important factor for business expansion and relocation efforts, JAXUSA Partnership redesigned it’s Find Your JAX campaign to attract out-of-market talent to explore the what the region has to offer in terms of job opportunities, lifestyle, neighborhoods and more. Local human resources professionals also use the platform to sell the destination along with the job opportunity for those individuals unfamiliar with Northeast Florida.

The IEDC Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. Thirty-five award categories honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban and rural communities. Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers from around the world, following a nomination process held earlier this year. IEDC received over 500 submissions from four countries.

“The winners of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the very best of economic development and exemplify the ingenuity, integrity and leadership that our profession strives for each and every day,” said 2020 IEDC Board Chair and One Columbus CEO Kenny McDonald. “We’re honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing campaigns, projects and partnerships have measurably improved regional quality of life.”