Corporate
Region wins International Awards for Place Brand
As stewards of our region’s Place Brand, Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism (FMWBEDT) is honoured to accept two Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) on behalf of the region. These awards recognize and celebrate our region-wide community Place Brand — Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.
“Getting our region on the map globally is a critical part to capturing the attention of private investors, encouraging people to visit, and attracting skilled talent,” said Kevin Weidlich, President & CEO of FMWBEDT. “Just like oil sands producers in the region who need to compete globally, we too are competing with places around the world to be the destination of choice, and this recognition brings us one step closer to that.”
We received two bronze awards that recognize the marketing efforts launching the place brand which included an in-region marketing campaign (The Place We’re Proud to Call Home) and digital community toolkit (WeAreFMWB.ca). The toolkit puts the place brand in the hands of those who need it for their own marketing purposes.
“Having award-winning marketing materials at our fingertips has been valuable to us,” said Amy Crocker, Director, Business Services at CEDA. “One of the challenges we face is painting a picture of what life is really like here. Now, companies like ours are in a better position to attract and retain the best talent to not only work, but live in the region.”
The awards included 25 categories honouring organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in their communities and garnered over 500 submissions from four countries.
“The winners of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the best of economic development and exemplify the leadership that our profession strives for every day,” said 2021 IEDC Board Chair and Invest Buffalo Niagara, President, and CEO Tom Kucharski. “We’re honoured to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing submissions, projects, and partnerships have improved regional quality of life.”
These awards highlight how our marketing efforts have harnessed our region’s pride in place, which is being noticed on an international stage. Continuing to work together will be paramount, as our pride and passion for the place we call home will always be central to changing the reputation of Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo and competing globally.