Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation launched a “Made in Lehigh Valley” billboard campaign, anchoring the region’s name to the world-class products and companies that have helped define the community. 
The year-long campaign began Nov. 3 with Crayola, which has been making its iconic crayons here since 1903, and will expand to include Freshpet, Mack Trucks, Martin Guitar, and more Lehigh Valley companies.
The digital displays, provided by Adams Outdoor Advertising, are located on Route 22, just west of Airport Road, and Interstate 78, just west of the Hellertown exit.
“The Lehigh Valley’s economic output and impact is much bigger than its size, and nothing exemplifies that more than the products made here that are used across the United States and the world,” LVEDC President & CEO Don Cunningham said. “We are grateful for the companies that call the Lehigh Valley home and proud of the products made in Lehigh Valley.”
The campaign is part of a larger effort to raise regional awareness of the Lehigh Valley and what it is today, a key component in LVEDC’s new strategic plan. The plan calls for expanding adoption of the regional “Made in Lehigh Valley” branding and quality of place marketing.
“Crayola is proud to manufacture our products in Pennsylvania and happy to support LVEDC’s efforts to spotlight local companies with iconic brands sold around the world," said Steve Hoff, Crayola Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and LVEDC Board Chairman.
The billboards complement LVEDC’s campaign that targets site selectors and executives in key industries through digital ads, trade magazines, and at East Coast airports during the peak business travel season. That campaign highlights the high points of the Lehigh Valley’s quality of place and the assets that support its vibrant economy: a labor force of 1.8 million within an hour’s drive, one-third of U.S. consumers within a day’s drive, and the rich educational system of 11 colleges and universities and three career and technical schools.
The Lehigh Valley is one of America’s fastest growing mid-size markets in both population and economy. That’s noteworthy for a region with a population under one million people where manufacturing is the largest part of its economy and its authentic urban centers of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton are a growing destination for young professionals and retiring seniors. With manufacturing continuing to play an outsized role, the $56 billion economy is supporting growing career opportunities and is among the nation’s top mid-sized markets for economic development.
The Lehigh Valley is one of the Top 15% of manufacturing markets in the U.S. based on Gross Domestic Product. More than 700 manufacturers collectively produce an output of $9 billion, representing 16% of Lehigh Valley’s GDP. Nationally, manufacturing is 12% of GDP.
A hotspot for population growth in the Northeast, more amenities like Archer Music Hall have landed in the Lehigh Valley, making it an attractive place to live and work.
(Top photo courtesy of Adams Outdoor Advertising)