GPEC looks to boost out-of-state perceptions of Arizona
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Photo: Courtesy of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council
Many non-Arizonans aren't very familiar with the Valley, but the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) thinks they'd like us if they got to know us.
State of play: GPEC is hoping to raise awareness of the Phoenix area as a destination for businesses and talent with a new campaign featuring the people who know it best.
- The organization's "A New Way to City" campaign tells the stories of businesses that are shaping the Valley in very different ways, from tech companies like semiconductor giant TSMC and AI-powered aviation records startup Bluetail to entertainment destinations like Rebel Lounge and buzzy Thai restaurant Lom Wong.
- Digital and social media ads are running in out-of-state markets, including Chicago, New York and San Francisco, GPEC's senior director of marketing and communications Lindsay Hahn tells Axios.
Zoom in: The campaign is fueled by findings from a survey GPEC conducted in May 2025, and had two components — one for CEOs and executives, and another for the general public.
- The findings included:
👋 Get to know Phoenix: About 45% of respondents weren't familiar with the Phoenix market — awareness was higher among executives — but they tended to view the Valley favorably.
- Perceptions of Greater Phoenix were largely "neutral to slightly positive," and under 10% in both groups viewed the Valley negatively.
🌵Wild West: Some respondents recognize Phoenix for more modern features like culture diversity and advanced technology, Hahn said, but others know it "more for cowboys and cacti."
- GPEC's campaign seeks to strike a balance — "Paying homage to the past while we innovate the future," she said.
💻 Invisible industry: One of the more surprising findings was how many respondents, even among the CEO crowd, don't realize that the Valley has become a booming semiconductor center, Hahn said.
- Locals are used to hearing about TSMC, Intel and Arizona's booming semiconductor industry, she said, but the lack of out-of-state awareness shows that we have to keep telling that story because it takes a while for perceptions to shift nationally.
🎠Things to do: Nearly half of general public respondents said the Valley's creative and cultural environment were unknown to them, and the region was viewed more positively as a place to do business than a place to live.
What we're watching: Digital ads will run through October, and early next year GPEC will run the surveys again to see if the campaign's messaging has been effective in changing people's perceptions.