The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) is pleased to announce it was recognized by the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association (PEDA) as the winner of the Economic Marketing Innovation of the Year Award for its Rebuild Berks campaign. The award was formally announced today during the 2021 PEDA Fall Conference.
GRCA’s Director of Communications & Marketing Leah Fassnacht and Digital Marketing Coordinator Audrey Krupiak managed the year-long campaign in partnership with the County of Berks and under the guidance of Strunk Media Group, Kutztown.
“The County is thrilled that the Rebuild Berks initiative has been recognized by PEDA as the Economic Marketing Innovation of the Year,” said Berks County Commissioners Chair Christian Leinbach. “Rebuild Berks served a vital role in bringing the Berks County community together to support our local businesses throughout the many challenges we’ve faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership between the County of Berks and GRCA made this program possible and is a lesson on what can be accomplished when we work together to address challenges in our community.”
The Rebuild Berks campaign launched in July 2020 and encouraged Berks County residents and businesses to buy and source locally. The initiative provided critical safety information, free trainings and access to funding opportunities, such as the Small Business New Start Grant Program and COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP). In November 2020, GRCA collaborated with the Berks Agriculture Resource Network (B.A.R.N.), to launch a Rebuild Berks offshoot campaign called “Grow Together.” The purpose of this ongoing campaign is twofold — first to encourage consumers to purchase directly from local farmers, and second to help position B.A.R.N. as the go-to resource in Berks County for agriculture-related information.
“GRCA looks forward to continued collaboration with its partners to make initiatives like Rebuild Berks come to life,” said Deb Millman, Vice President of Development, GRCA. “We are proud that our work continues to be recognized at both state and national levels.”
According to PEDA, the Economic Marketing Innovation of the Year Award, “recognizes outstanding visual marketing and promotion, branding of an economic development organization or outstanding content on an economic development topic.” The Rebuild Berks campaign was previously recognized in April as a winner in the Awards for Communications Excellence competition from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).