Make It Montco: VFTCB Kicks Off Main Street Campaign’s Second Round

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Lochel's Bakery.
Image via VFTCB.
Lochel's Bakery.

The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (VFTCB) has launched the next phase of the Make It Main Street consumer marketing campaign to promote small, local businesses in Montgomery County, PA.

This round has a renewed focus on the importance of shopping local, what it means to be part of a community, and a few “firsts” for the organization: a video translated into Spanish, and YouTube and OTT (Over-The-Top like Roku devices, or Apple TV) advertising.

Businesses spotlighted include: bakeries, breweries (representing 30 award-winning Montco Makers), and retail stores to hotels (representing 80 properties), golf courses (representing 50 clubs) and arts and culture venues (representing 200 facilities).

The VFTCB has once again partnered with Montgomery County and the Commerce Department on the project, which is being funding by the county through CARES Act monies.

Working with 20/20 Visual Media for a second time, the VFTCB filmed 12 one-minute “Meet the Business Owner” vignettes across 11 towns throughout the county

The call to action in the videos continues to send traffic to the webpage and the free Visit Valley Forge mobile app, where people can learn more on how to “Make It Local, Make It Main Street, Make It Montco.”

“Shopping local means supporting your neighborhood, and a family’s livelihood,” said Justine Garbarino, Senior Director of Marketing & Business Development. “These businesses are at the center of our industry. They are the faces of our towns and communities. When you think about important memories, and unique experiences, they’ve most likely been a part of them. So, it’s important that we continue to work together to support them.”

The Main Street campaign draws attention to the hundreds of local, family-owned businesses across Montco’s dozens of small, quaint downtowns with the goal of driving consumer behavior to invigorate economic impact – and jobs – for the region.

The media strategy, which will run until the end of May, includes a partnership with NBC10 and Telemundo 62 where the VFTCB’s 30-second Main Street commercial will air during programming like the Today Show, and local news. The partnership allows for a couple of “firsts” for the organization including the first time a VFTCB television commercial has been translated into Spanish, as well as appearing on OTT to directly target consumers.

The digital advertising strategy, developed with MayoSeitz Media, targets consumers within the driveable market, and more interactive digital and video ads, paid social including YouTube.

Besides social/influencer promotion and blog content, the VFTCB is also working on an innovative technological component with Bandwango: a Main Street pass for visitors and locals to discover the best of Montgomery County, PA as a destination. Once someone signs up, the pass is delivered directly to a mobile device via text, or email, for instant activation.

“There’s no better way to get back to a sense of normal with our friends and families than by spending time in the heart of the communities we love,” said David Zellers, Jr., Director of Commerce. “Dining out, shopping local, and experiencing something authentic with the people that matter most are the kinds of experiences that everyone is eager to get back to.”

Montgomery County’s diversity of place offers unique places to explore, and opportunities to support the small business owners and workforce that are our friends and neighbors.

While we all remain vigilant, mask up, and get vaccinated when it’s our turn, now is the time to plan a ‘Make It Main Street’ adventure for every weekend in the months ahead to reconnect, re-energize, and renew ourselves, our relationships, and our communities.

Read more about the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board Main Street program.

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