The Alabama Department of Commerce on Monday launched the “Next” digital marketing campaign, meant to highlight the state’s contributions to space exploration, national defense, bioscience, advanced manufacturing and mobility technologies.
“We want to make sure the world knows about the exciting developments unfolding in Alabama that illustrate the extraordinary capabilities of our workforce and the next-level innovation taking place in our key industries,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, in a statement.
“Inside our factories and laboratories and within our entrepreneurial ecosystem, Alabama is prepared for whatever is next because we are already helping to shape the future,” Canfield said.
Canfield unveiled the campaign Monday morning at the Economic Development Association of Alabama’s summer conference in Point Clear.
The campaign’s website has pages that feature Alabama’s aerospace industry, which includes more than 400 aerospace and defense companies, high tech manufacturing, with 3-D printing, robotics and augmented reality, auto and public transportation production, including electric vehicle production and battery repurposing and graphite mining.
The site also has pages on biosciences, with 780 bioscience companies statewide and a $7.3 billion economic impact, and a page encouraging startups to locate in Alabama.
The campaign, which is a new chapter in the department’s 2013 “Made in Alabama” brand, has digital and print advertisements which feature QR codes to provide 3-D experiences, according to the department. The campaign was designed by Birmingham-based Big Communications.
“Throughout our longstanding partnership with Commerce and Secretary Canfield, we have helped corporate decision-makers and site-selection consultants tune out undeserved static about Alabama and focus on its growth potential,” said Aaron Gresham, executive creative director at Big, in a statement. “With Next, we are reinforcing the same message by placing the impressive developments taking place in the state firmly on the radar screen for the world to see.”
