Waterbury ITZ

The Information Technology Zone is a 42-block area in the heart of downtown Waterbury that was established in 1998 as a result of legislation introduced by Senator Stephen Somma. The state of Connecticut committed $2.2 million to install advanced communications infrastructure and offer generous financial incentives for information technology companies locating in the Zone.

Description:

CERC was hired to manage and implement a public relations and advertising campaign to promote the ITZ to information technology companies in New England and New York. In order to sharpen the focus, CERC performed a targeted industry anlysis to ensure that the message successfully reached the appropriate audience.

Issues:

The Zone had been successfully promoted for one year, with marketing efforts aimed at introducing the ITZ as a new and exciting location for technology companies. However, the buzz began to die down, and in an effort to keep the momentum going, the message needed to change from one of introducing something new, to one showcasing that something is working - highlighting its successes and the types of companies that have located within the Zone. Another issue that needed to be addressed was the overall image of the city of Waterbury, which had been tarnished by several scandals involving public officials and the resulting negative press.

Deliverables:

The campaign consisted of print ads, radio commercials, press releases, newsletter articles and interviews on radio talk shows.

Outcomes:

The new ads and PR tied together to create a striking image for the ITZ that tackled the key issue for the IT companies - there is space available and it is affordable, attractive and convenient. The campaign showed that positive things are happening in Waterbury and that the companies located in the city are not only satisfied, but they are thriving and many have plans to expand. Overall the effort ignited a new, positive buzz about not only the Zone, but also the city of Waterbury.