Greater Lexington Economic Development Awareness & Education Campaign

Program Name: Greater Lexington Economic Development Awareness & Education Campaign
Launch Date: March 24, 2025

In late March 2025, Commerce Lexington launched its first-ever fully digital economic development awareness and education campaign—a strategic, data‑driven initiative designed to ensure that Greater Lexington is heard, seen, and respected as a prime business location by the individuals who influence corporate growth decisions. Built to address outdated perceptions of Kentucky and elevate the region’s standing among industry decision makers, the campaign represents a major step forward in how our organization communicates competitiveness, business readiness, and innovation.

This initiative was created to directly reach C‑suite executives in targeted NAICS sectors and site selectors through a robust mix of modern digital channels. Core tactics included NAICS‑based digital advertising, event‑specific geotargeting, LinkedIn campaigns, industry‑focused video content, and impression‑based ads served across the platforms and devices business leaders already consume. The campaign’s creative approach was intentionally simple, testimonial‑driven, and high‑impact—cutting through the noise of crowded digital environments to deliver a message of clarity and confidence about the Bluegrass region.

Key dates were structured around quarterly reporting cycles (hyperlinks below):

These quarterly checkpoints allowed for ongoing optimization and presentation of cumulative results to stakeholders.

The goals were straightforward:

Increase national visibility among high‑value business decision makers.
Strengthen credibility as a competitive, innovation‑driven business destination.
Overcome outdated or inaccurate perceptions about the region’s economic and geographic profile.
Build a modern marketing foundation capable of scaling with future economic development priorities.

Results to date reflect strong engagement across all digital channels, effective penetration within C‑suite and site selection audiences, and measurable improvements in visibility among targeted industries. The program has elevated Greater Lexington’s profile in ways traditional marketing cannot achieve alone.

Commerce Lexington deserves recognition by the Business Facilities EDO Awards because this initiative exemplifies innovation, impact, and strategic responsiveness. It modernizes how an EDO communicates value, harnesses digital tools to reach the right audiences, and positions Greater Lexington as a forward‑thinking region ready for business.