Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) is sponsoring a series of digital advertisements in Area Development, a leading executive publication covering corporate site selection and relocation.
The ads, which appear in the widely read e-newsletter about the market’s latest trends, focus on the region’s prime location and targets messaging at specific sectors. The ads feature the new logo Discover Lehigh Valley® and LVEDC unveiled in August.
“Area Development’s weekly e-newsletter keeps industry leaders current on policy, global trends, and opportunities in a very thoughtful way," said Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, LVEDC Vice President of Business Development and Attraction. “We want to get our message in front of the decision makers who read this newsletter.”
The first ad, dubbed "Zero in on the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania,” features a map that underscores the Lehigh Valley’s position in the heart of the populous Northeast market, providing access to consumers and talent. Bordering New Jersey, the Lehigh Valley is within a day’s drive of 105 million consumers and is within an hour’s drive of a labor force of 1.7 million. Within the two-county region, colleges and universities produce more than 10,000 graduates annually, and technical schools more than 1,000. The ad first appeared Aug. 4 and will periodically appear in editions through mid-December.
The second ad, which was published Aug. 18, focuses on the life sciences sector. It tells the story of the consequential innovations coming from Lehigh Valley companies. The Lehigh Valley is home to 170 life sciences businesses, including the headquarters of B. Braun Medical, Olympus of the Americas, and OraSure Technologies.
Other specific industries, including the region’s innovative tech industry, will be targeted in subsequent ads. The Lehigh Valley, once a pioneer in the semiconductor industry, touts a rich ecosystem of technology companies.
LVEDC led a coalition of those companies and educational and community partners to be named a Tech Hub by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, a designation that could qualify the region for $50 to $75 million in federal technology investment. The application, Aug. 15, lays out the case for a semiconductor hub, in particular where their production overlaps with advanced manufacturing and advanced material sciences.
Earlier last month, LVEDC launched a radio and digital campaign on WXPN and NPR, promoting the region’s strong quality of life particularly to audiences in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Delaware. The campaign aims to foster talent attraction and retention efforts for Lehigh Valley’s employers and increase opportunities for professionals within the region to connect with others.
Those on-air spots and digital ads are expected to draw more than 2.7 million in total impressions from viewers and listeners, according to WPXN.