Gov. Rick Scott unveiled Florida's first business brand Friday.
The Florida business brand provides a common thread to allow all state economic development organizations to work together in showcasing Florida as a premier business destination.
"Each day I talk with CEOs around the world to tell them that Florida is the best place to do business," Scott said. "Our unemployment rate is at a four-year low, we've created close to 200,000 private sector jobs in just two years, and our K-12 education system has jumped into the top 10 in the nation. We're working aggressively to get businesses to Florida, so Florida families have more opportunities to pursue the American dream - and with this innovative business brand we will continue to attract more opportunities to the Sunshine State."
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Gov. Rick Scott and Gray Swoope, Secretary of Commerce and president and CEO of Enterprise Florida Inc.
The brand tagline is now: "Florida. The Perfect Climate for Business," which juxtaposes the state's beautiful weather with key reminders related to Florida's business climate such as no personal income tax, a platform built for global trade and a top national ranking for work force and transportation infrastructure.
The brand was developed based on research, including 430 survey responses, 172 interviews, 26 focus groups and 19 tours. Nearly 1,000 unique perspectives from key stakeholders and influencers inside and outside the state were obtained.
"Now it is time for us to share the Florida story in a significant way. Many people work year round to be able to visit the state. Why wait? Florida's business climate makes it an equally appealing place to locate, start or expand a business," said Gray Swoope, Secretary of Commerce and president and CEO of Enterprise Florida Inc.
This new initiative is not intended to replace individual community business brands, but rather encourage the entire state to speak with one voice when promoting Florida as a top location for recruiting new economic investment or for business expansion within the state.
"Economic development excels when the state, county and cities work together to invest resources to help businesses grow and prosper. Working in this capacity with a business brand to represent our collective product -- the state of Florida -- will serve us well in recruiting companies and creating jobs," said Kelly Smallridge, president and CEO, Palm Beach Business Development Board.
For more information about the initiative, go to PerfectBusinessClimate.com.
