At the height of the economic recession, numerous cities across the nation became known for their unemployment rates. Now, with the economy on the mend, it seems city officials are looking to present their municipalities as flourishing lands of job opportunity, and the first positions to be filled are those held by marketers who will rebrand these regions.
Take, for instance, Vineland, New Jersey. The Press of Atlantic City reports that the city is increasing its marketing budget to an all-time high: It will spend $150,000 on rebranding its business district and merchant base to position Vineland as a commerce destination. The municiplaity’s redevelopment director is currently entertaining marketing proposals.
Similarly, on the other side of the country in Watsonville, California, city leaders are developing a “Growing Opportunitites” campaign to attract entrepreneurs and encourage job generation. Silicon Valley’s Mercury News reports that the campaign currently includes a revamped Watsonville website and print materials. Kurt Overmeyer, the city’s economic development manager, told the source that the goal of the marketing initiative is to attract and retain business.
In the Midwest, marketers can find jobs in Cincinnati. Local NBC affiliate WLWT reports that the city is trying to position itself as a consumer marketing hub, and it aims to generate 200,000 jobs with global brand building partners in the region by 2020.
The moral of the story is that marketers may not have to look far from home to find jobs. Cities across the nation are trying to revitalize their markets in the recovering economic climate, and marketers may find work and become hometown heroes if they are up to the task of rebranding these communities.
