Allegheny Conference announces ‘Next Is Now’ regional brand
Looking toward the day when the coronavirus pandemic is in the rearview mirror, business leaders from Pittsburgh and the surrounding region have unveiled a new brand that they say will position both the city and the surrounding area to attract new talent and promote growth.
The brand, “Pittsburgh Region. Next Is Now,” was officially ushered into the spotlight Tuesday by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development in an online press conference. The brand is “future-focused” and “the end result of a lot of efforts by a lot of people to get this just right,” according to Philip Cynar, a spokesman for the Allegheny Conference.
Officials who participated in the press conference argued that Pittsburgh remains somewhat underappreciated. Pittsburgh has thriving industries in, among others, cybersecurity and life sciences, but, according to Bill Demchak, president and CEO of the PNC Financial Services Group, “the problem is the world doesn’t know this.”
He continued, “Unlike most of our peer regions, we haven’t been out there telling a unified story. … The brand is going to play a critical role in telling our story in a powerful and consistent way.”
Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, said the new brand “shows us all working together” and will allow the area to be marketed to the outside world “in a more unified and cohesive way.”
“Pittsburgh Region. Next Is Now” has been in the works for about 18 months and is the end-result of comprehensive market research designed to uncover the depth of knowledge investors and consumers had about Pittsburgh. It’s been about 10 years since the region had a brand to call its own, Cynar said.
However, “the brand doesn’t make Pittsburgh stand out,” Demchak said. “Pittsburgh makes Pittsburgh stand out.”