International visitors look to connect Jacksonville with companies back home (http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-05-10/story/international-visitors-look-connect-jacksonville-companies-back-home#ixzz2SvdwTmb7)
QuoteIf Jacksonville is going to forge stronger business ties with Europe, it needs to do a better job shaping â€" and telling â€" its story, a group of European consuls told city and business leaders Thursday.
Those consuls â€" from France, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom â€" were in Jacksonville to celebrate European Unity Day and take the chance to learn a bit about Northeast Florida.
Most of the consulates in the Southeast are in Miami, but the group made the trip here to find out more about a part of Florida few of their countrymen think of when they think about the Sunshine State.
It’s part of the job consuls are supposed to do, said French Consul General Gaël de Maisonneuve â€" helping connect the countries they serve with the countries in which they are stationed.
To do that well, the group said, they have to understand the area.
“I need reasons, arguments, I can convey to Spanish companies about why they should look here,†said Mario Buisan, the Spanish trade commissioner.
When trading partners across the ocean think about Florida, the cities of Orlando and Miami are the ones that come to mind.
“People think beaches, not business,†said U.K. Consul General Kevin McGurgan, although Jacksonville is making inroads into the British mind, with the Scottish soccer teams coming here and the Jacksonville Jaguars planning a game in London.
But the city has to do more to publicize what it does. Dutch Consul General Simone Filippini, for example, was excited by the recent One Spark event, but would never have heard of it if she didn’t visit the city.
“The fact that we didn’t know that it happened, that’s one of the problems,†she said. “The marketers of Jacksonville have an undiscovered dynamic jewel.â€
The area has more concrete issues to overcome as well, chief among them the lack of transatlantic flights, as well as dearth of bilingual schools.
As the city deals with those issues, though, the consuls said they’ll work on strengthening partnerships across the ocean. “We will do what we can to help them network, to help them connect,†McGurgan said. “We’re like a dating service.â€
Timothy Gibbons
The area has more concrete issues to overcome as well, chief among them the lack of transatlantic flights, as well as dearth of bilingual schools.
Kind of a catch-22. If there is no interest in being here, then there is no demand for trans-atlantic flights.
If there are no transplants working here, then there is no interest in bi-lingual schooling.
I would agree on marketing overseas and I think Shad is on to that through the Jags.
I would also agree that OneSpark can be an excellent tool to market Jax in Western Europe in the future.
Clearly breaking out what defines Jacksonville in Florida is key. We are not just beaches, not just tourism, but also logistics, financials, insurance, military, industrial, sports. A kind of a "work hard (business)....play hard (sports)" town. I would think that would be an easy way to separate us from the rest.
BTW: The French Consul did stop by Saft while he was here, checking out the new digs:
http://www.saftbatteries.com/SAFT/UploadedFiles/PressOffice/2013/CP_16-13_en.pdf (http://www.saftbatteries.com/SAFT/UploadedFiles/PressOffice/2013/CP_16-13_en.pdf)
Now if we can just get that whole Embraer Super Tucano deal sorted out, we might have the Brazilian Consul here next.
I would like to see the marketing plan Jacksonville is putting together as part of their road show with the Jags. The Chamber has been distracted by their recent remodeling effort, the Jags on their restructuring. Be curious to see who is running the show when our civic leaders show up across the ocean.
Will it be impressive, or will it be amateur hour? Will the press lead with apologies from our mayor? or interviews with impressed corporate types?
Seriously, this is our chance to collectively create a mindset overseas. What is it going to be?
Southern Rock is really big in Europe right now. It is OURS we are IT. Orlando and Miami don't have that. We need a southern rock hall of fame.