Archive for the ‘Government & Economic Development’ Category

For Immediate Release: February 08, 2010

ADDISON, Texas — The Cities Aggregation Power Project (CAPP) has named Ariamedia as its public relations and marketing agency of record. The agency is charged with expanding public awareness of CAPP and building grassroots support for its efforts to lower the cost of electricity in Texas by influencing public policy on energy deregulation.

CAPP is a statewide non-profit corporation that pools public sector purchasing power to negotiate lower and more stable prices for its more than 100 Texas city and other political subdivision members. CAPP is dedicated to reducing the cost of electric power for cities and their residents by promoting a more transparent, competitive marketplace.

A wealth of reputable public data conclusively supports CAPP’s case that Texas deregulation has failed to live up to its promise. A survey by www.whitefence.com has found that Houston and Dallas ranked second and fourth respectively for highest priced electricity among major U.S. cities. The most recent federal data cites average residential rates in Texas as 53.1 percent higher than in Louisiana, and 44.7 percent higher than in Oklahoma. The Texas Public Utility Commission has reported in a recent study that residential electricity prices among deregulated Texas suppliers were nearly 30 percent higher than the national average.

Ariamedia is an interactive marketing agency and a public sector leader for strategy, insight, branding, and interactive marketing. It crafts and places marketing communications to attract and engage qualified audiences and to retain and grow high value relationships. Its current clients include the Cities of Allen, Carrollton, Murphy and Southlake, and the Dallas Office of Economic Development and McKinney Economic Development Corporation. The firm has been serving its clients since June, 2000.

Contacts

Ariamedia
Tony Passarello, 214-528-5670
http://www.ariamedia.com

or

CAPP
R.A. Dyer, 512-322-5898
http://www.capptx.com

As Agency of Record for City of Murphy, Texas, Ariamedia is executing a rebranding of the community as a first step in a long-term marketing strategy.  Recently, Ariamedia’s Chief Strategy Officer, Tony Passarello, was interviewed by the local newspaper on the importance of branding, the strategy behind it, and the process by which citizen and community participation is collected.  An excerpt of Passarello’s comments follows:

“The logo should reflect the uniquely beneficial aspects of Murphy’s community character,” said Ariamedia’s chief strategy officer Tony Passarello. “This is determined through a process that has so far strongly considered the input of three focus groups and two online surveys among Murphy residents, as well as feedback from Mayor Bret Baldwin, the city council and its open forum, and the board of the Murphy Economic Development Corporation 4A.”

Passarello said his sense of Murphy so far is, “Murphy is an engaged, connected, well-educated and diverse community of independent-minded, enterprising, and unpretentious citizens. It delivers a uniquely sustainable balance of close-in suburban convenience and country lifestyle that makes it a great place to raise children, but welcomes families at every stage of life and merchants who embrace its values.”

Look for the City’s new branding in late 2009 and read the full article here.

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Ariamedia will host an exclusive reception for clients, guests and friends on September 30th at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Preview Center. Just days before the grand opening, guests will hear from Arts executives on the impact and vision for arts and culture in Dallas.

Addison Airport, one of the nation’s busiest general aviation airports, has chosen Ariamedia to strategize, concept and redesign the airport’s primary website (www.addisonairport.net).

Ariamedia will focus on defining and promoting the goals of the airport through the redesign to complement Addison Airport’s overall marketing initiatives.

By Tony Passarello, Senior Associate with Ariamedia

Among companies that were considering relocation before the economy took a U-turn, the intuitive reaction is often to postpone the move indefinitely.  After all, there’s enough uncertainty already and the potential carrying costs for unsold homes of relocated executives only raises the ante.

For companies that still have the cash or credit lines to fund a corporate relocation, though, there’s good reason to take a counter-intuitive tack.

A commercial real estate market reeling from vacancies is offering big incentives for new owners and tenants.

Rising unemployment has made it an employers’ market, with plenty of experienced and highly motivated talent eager to work for very competitive wages.

Municipalities reeling from layoffs and business closures are more likely to employ tax and other concessions to replace lost jobs.

A residential real estate market glutted with great homes at great prices means that relocated executives get a windfall bonus with the purchase of a home in their new hometowns. 

The bottom line is that companies with a long view vision and the wherewithal to act on it have an unprecedented upside to making a strategic move.

Mckinney Economic Development Corporation has selected Ariamedia to build a leading-edge web presence to build business in the McKinney Texas areas.