The organizers behind the grassroots regional marketing campaign “Live Here, Land Here” have secured a new round of funding to help spread their message beyond the Portland-Vancouver metro area.
The Columbia River Economic Development Council recently pledged $15,000 to the campaign. In addition, Clark County and the city of Vancouver each pledged $5,000.
Ginger Metcalf, executive director of Identity Clark County and one of the organizers of the grassroots campaign, said the funds will be used to take “Land Here, Live Here” to “the next level.”
“We have done just about all we can at the local level with volunteer help,” said Metcalf. “Now it’s time to step up and spread the message more broadly.”
Ron Arp, owner of Clark County-based Amplify Group Inc., recently stepped into a leadership roll within the campaign – a move that organizers said will help ensure their message stays focused and on target.
“We want the staying power of this program to work over a number of years so we really have to be wise about how we align it over the long term,” said Arp. “I think people will be surprised by the things we’ll be able to pull off.”
In the months ahead, the group hopes to advertise in publications such as Site Selector Magazine to gain national exposure. But what undoubtedly has campaign organizers most excited, is a plan to fly 25 top CEOs here this September – CEOs who have either expressed interest in the Portland-Vancouver metro area or have been here on previous recruitment.
“The Idea is to have our local executives invite other executives to the area to see the region and to enjoy the weekend,” explained Arp. “This is, to our knowledge, the first kind of activity along these lines in the Portland Vancouver metro area.”
Metcalf said local pilots have agreed to lend a hand by taking visiting CEOs on aerial tours of Washington and Oregon.
“Take them over Camas, for example, and say ‘here’s 20 acres that’s shovel ready for light industrial,’” said Metcalf. “Then fly them down to Bandon Dunes for a round of golf or take them up to Timberline for dinner.”
“Land Here, Live Here” supporter and fellow economic development group Greenlight Greater Portland (behind its Marketing VP Susan Bladholm) has raised nearly $90,000 to help make the September fly-in idea a reality.
“It’s for the entire region,” Metcalf said. “We want business leaders to get a taste for the 22 flavors that we have to offer; there are 22 ‘Land Here, Live Here’ cities in the metro area. We kind of feel like we’re the Baskin-Robbins of economic development.”
