GBC Issues RFP for Creative Agency and Public Relations Partners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Burke Friedman, PROFILES 410-243-3790 / afriedman@profilespr.com GREATER BALTIMORE COMMITTEE ISSUES RFP FOR CREATIVE AGENCY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS PARTNERS TO ESTABLISH A NEW REGIONAL BRAND NARRATIVE AROUND BUSINESS INVESTMENT The place-based branding effort will be rooted in research and stakeholder engagement and also serve to elevate the changemakers creating a new narrative around the region’s civic progress (Baltimore, Md.) – The Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC), the leading voice for the private sector in the Baltimore region, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking creative agency and public relations partners to develop a clear messaging framework and earned media infrastructure for showcasing the business investment assets of the Baltimore region as well as its overall civic progress.

Founded in 1955, GBC represents over 400 organizations, including businesses, nonprofits, foundations, and educational and healthcare institutions. In May 2022, GBC merged with the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore to create a united vision for Baltimore's competitiveness and growth. Following the merger, GBC – led by new president & CEO Mark Anthony Thomas – partnered with TIP Strategies to develop a comprehensive 10-year strategy to drive economic growth, enhance civic leadership, and position the Greater Baltimore region as a national and global contender.

GBC seeks a qualified marketing agency and public relations partner with a proven track record in placebased branding to play a pivotal role in developing a cohesive brand narrative that communicates the Baltimore region's assets to growth businesses, industry influencers, and media outlets locally, nationally, and internationally.

"The Baltimore region is not just open for business, but rich with economic assets, culture, and communities worthy of investment at every level,” said GBC President and CEO Mark Anthony Thomas.

"The regional brand will serve as the creative foundation for how GBC and our regional partners intentionally position our economic strengths for local, domestic, and global audiences, to ensure the dynamic progress underway in the Baltimore region is fully presented in the public sphere."

“The selected agency partners must have a proven track record of envisioning and executing place-based branding efforts with a collection of useful case studies,” GBC notes in the RFP. “A strong familiarity with the region’s history and rich culture, civic and economic opportunities will be critical.”

Several components of the request for proposal include: •

Research & Insights: Selected partners will provide actionable research that identifies salient data points and key insights that inform how to position the Baltimore Region.

•

Stakeholder Engagement: Selected partners will engage with stakeholders across the Baltimore Region’s economic development offices and key industry sectors, to develop buy-in for the branding effort.

•

Messaging Framework: Selected partners will develop an overarching narrative for how to frame the region’s business investment assets, opportunities, and overall civic progress.

•

Content Strategy: Selected partners will develop and implement a content strategy for deployment across print, television, and digital media platforms.

•

Business Attraction Website: Selected partners will develop a website that effectively brands the Baltimore Region’s business assets and supports overall economic messaging.

•

Earned Media: Selected partners will launch a robust storytelling effort that positions the Baltimore Region’s business investment assets and overall civic progress in local, national, and international news coverage.

Collaborating organizations such as the Maryland Marketing Partnership, and the economic development organizations of the surrounding counties, are committed to working together to map out the region's assets and develop an overarching narrative around business investment. These efforts will strengthen the region's appeal for talent, businesses, real estate, and economic development.

Recently, the Baltimore MSA was designated by the Economic Development Administration as one of 31 regional tech hubs, positioning the region for a share of $10 billion in federal investment. Last year, more than 106 startups received more than $1.3 billion in venture capital funding. The Baltimore Region’s core is also slated for an unprecedented level of commercial development, with more than $6.5 billion in planned projects aimed at reimagining the waterfront, revitalizing downtown assets, and strengthening manufacturing and industrial activity planned over the next five years. Culturally, the Baltimore Region is home to such events as the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse, Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, the CIAA Basketball Tournament, and the Maryland Cycling Classic.

The RFP outlines a detailed scope of work, including research and insights, messaging framework development, earned and paid media, creative elements, digital presence, content strategy, and stakeholder engagement.

The timeline for proposals is as follows: - Issue Date: November 16, 2023 - Deadline for Questions: December 11, 2023 - Submission Due Date: December 31, 2023 - Project Award: January 15, 2024 Those interested in responding to the RFP must notify Nekoro Gomes, Vice President of Communications, at nekorog@gbc.org by December 1, 2023, at 11:59 pm ET. To view the RFP, including submission requirements, please visit https://bit.ly/47hAQTS

### ABOUT GREATER BALTIMORE COMMITTEE: The Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) is the leading voice for the private sector in the Baltimore region, providing insightful economic and civic leadership to drive collective impact. Composed of more than 400 organizations, including large, mid-size, and small companies, nonprofits, foundations, and educational and healthcare institutions, the GBC is dedicated to fostering the prosperity of the Greater Baltimore region. For more information, visit gbc.org.