THE Evocities campaign, of which Armidale is a member, has won a 2013 Gold Quill Award for Excellence in Research from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). It’s the highest honour given by the organisation.
The 2013 Gold Quill was awarded for Australian first new research commissioned by Evocities that quantified the community and economic benefits of resident attraction programs that encourage capital city dwellers to relocate to a new life in a regional city.
‘The rationale for regional resident attraction programs’ research found that, just by relocating, a household moving to an Evocity helps to directly boost its economy by an average of almost $95,000 per annum.
Based on this figure, the 853 families who relocated to an Evocity by April 2013 have generated almost $81 million in additional annual direct spending alone.
The campaign research also found that a new relocated household helps to lift median incomes, encourage business growth, increase tourism, growing participation rates in local community groups, as well as increase flow-on spending across the economy in their new city.
Evocities spokesperson James Treloar said the group was “delighted to have been given this prestigious award”.
“This award is also a great reflection of the fantastic work by the teams in each of the seven cities, and our partner agency SenateSHJ, who devised and implemented the research in Sydney,” Mr Treloar said.
“It is also testament to the strength and value of the Evocities campaign itself.
“We know that Evocities is a fantastic concept that people in Sydney and beyond are responding to, but to be able to show a direct economic return on investment is an important part of demonstrating the campaign’s value.”
The Evocities research was released as part of the overall marketing and advertising campaign that targets Sydneysiders suffering from long commutes, high property prices and generally feeling the pressures of life in a capital city.
Evocities launched in September 2010 with the message that a move to an Evocity is a city change to a quality life where a wide range of opportunities exist for personal and professional growth.
The seven Evocities involved in the campaign are Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.
