Attracting new businesses to the state is the goal of a new state business brand unveiled Thursday. Governor Rick Scott along with the state’s leading economic development agency are hoping Florida’s familiar colors, neck ties, and marketing ads will translate to the state’s new business-friendly makeover.
“I’m happy to be here with all of you to launch Florida’s first ever business brand, a brand that will solidify our reputation around the nation and the world,” said Scott.
The slogan “Florida: The Perfect Climate to do Business” is part of the new brand, seen below in one of the campaign's marketing ads:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCrTz3VQpgQ
Governor Scott says Florida is already known as one of the top tourist destinations and now it’s time to make the state known as a thriving business destination too.
“To help achieve my goal of creating 700,000 jobs in seven years, I’m constantly calling on CEOs to let them know why Florida is the best place in the world to start, grow or, expand their business. Enterprise Florida and our local economic development organizations do exactly the same thing each and every day. However, now, we will be able to have an ongoing initiative and brand to reinforce what we’ve been saying.”
“People want to be here from a tourism standpoint, but our research shows when you ask people about ‘what do they know about our business brand?’ It’s nothing,” added Enterprise Florida's President and CEO Gray Swoope.
Scott and Swoope were both decked out in orange neck ties, a main theme at the unveiling Thursday. The new brand’s slogan and logo “Florida: The Perfect Climate To Do Business” is completely green, with the exception of the letter “I” in the word, “FLORIDA.” It’s orange and in the shape of a necktie.
So, why the orange neck ties?
“It’s the most iconic business brand that’s out there and the research showed that and that’s why it was used in the logo,” said Swoope.
Swoope says his agency also wanted to keep the “orange and green” colors of the brand familiar to Florida.
“They’re on our license plates. You see them on some of the state’s agencies. And, Florida is known for some of these colors that represent tourism and translate them into a business brand,” he added.
The brand also promotes how Florida has no personal income tax and its trade access with Latin American countries, like Chile—the destination for the Governor’s next trade mission.
According to the Associated Press, Enterprise Florida is also seeking $3 million from the state and $1.5 million dollars from private donors for a campaign based on the new brand.
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