AUBURN – By now, the phrase “L-A – It’s Happening Here” is familiar throughout the area. But is the media campaign that was launched a couple of years ago really delivering the goods?
It certainly is, according to Paul Badeau, marketing director of the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council.
He said a recent review of the campaign shows positive results on several levels of economic and social measurement. Furthermore, thanks to enthusiastic participation by business ad sponsors, the campaign is launching new TV spots and the promotion is set to continue through 2007.
Badeau gave out the good news at Thursday’s breakfast meeting of the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce at the Hilton Garden Inn. More than 100 businesspeople attended.
“This isn’t just hype; it’s reality,” Badeau said.
“Inc. Magazine, a publication for movers and shakers in business, cited L-A two years in a row as one of the top 50 best small places in the United States in which to do business. This is the second year in a row we have made the top 50, and at 38, we’re one spot higher than last year,” Badeau said.
Badeau explained that the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council has served as facilitator of the campaign, but it has had the support and cooperation of the governments of the Twin Cities, the chamber and many businesses.
The Lewiston-Auburn vision and branding campaign was launched at the L/A Excels Community Convention in 2003.
It promotes Lewiston-Auburn as “a community of abundant opportunity” in the midst of transformation, Badeau told the group.
“Ultimately, the goal is to be seen as a leading Maine community in the areas of economic development, arts and culture, health care, education and overall quality of life,” he said.
It began with phone surveys conducted by Pan Atlantic Consulting, as well as focus groups and one-on-one interviews with 50 business leaders.
The breakfast audience viewed several new video spots prepared by WGME-TV, which are just now being aired.
“Twenty-five companies have signed on to run ads and another 40 are in the wings,” Badeau said.
“How do we know this is working?” Badeau asked. A “bricks and mortar test” is one of the surest indicators, he said.
“According to a list maintained by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, L-A had more expansions and investments over $500,000 than any other Maine community in 2002 and I believe even in 2004,” Badeau said. “Secondly, year to date in 2005, out of the 12 large economic development projects funded in Maine by DECD, six of them were in Lewiston.”
Badeau also noted that population trends in the two cities and several surrounding communities are up, with the exception of a dip for 2003.
“My guess is that the trend should continue, given all the activity, housing options and continuation of a lack of affordable and available property in the southern Maine market,” Badeau said.
Badeau went through a long list of recent economic successes in Lewiston and Auburn. He mentioned new restaurants and retail stores, tenants at the Bates Mill, the Island Point development planned for the Cowan and Libbey mills, Lewiston’s Southern Gateway developments and Auburn’s downtown.
Other measures of success cited by Badeau include many positive news stories.
New England Real Estate Journal named the proposed Auburn Industrial Park “Project of the Month,” and the massive Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Lewiston made headlines in the trade press, he said.
Also, the Maine Association of Broadcasters recently named the “L-A – It’s Happening Here” campaign the best marketing campaign of the year, and the Maine Development Foundation’s Economic Champions award went to the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council, Lewiston and Auburn a few weeks ago for collaboration in economic development.
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