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Cooksey partners with the Irving Economic Development Partnership (IEDP) to showcase the pro-business community of Irving-Las Colinas, recognized as the “Headquarters of Headquarters” in Texas and home to more Fortune 500 companies per capita than any other city in the state, including Builders FirstSource, Caterpillar, Celanese , Commercial Metals, Darling Ingredients, Fluor and McKesson. Irving-Las Colinas enjoys one of the most central locations in North Texas with convenient access to both Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, part of which is located in Irving, and Dallas Love Field, making it an ideal location for companies to call home. The city also offers a business-friendly environment, numerous lifestyle amenities, including Lake Carolyn and the Toyota Music Factory, diverse housing and a skilled and educated workforce, all focused on attracting relocating and expanding businesses.

industry

government & economic development

services

crisis communications & issues management
key message development
marketing strategy & planning
media relations
public involvement & stakeholder engagement
special events
thought leadership positioning

the challenge

Differentiate Texas’ “Headquarters of Headquarters” in a competitive pro-business region

Irving-Las Colinas sits in one of the most pro-business regions both in the state of Texas and in the nation, and, as one of the largest media markets in the country, competition remains strong to stay at the forefront of ever-changing news cycles. While Irving-Las Colinas offers an unparalleled experience for companies considering relocation or expansion and the Irving Economic Development Partnership was recognized by companies for its expertise in providing a turnkey relocation and expansion experience, the Partnership also recognized the need to better highlight its offerings and successes to standout among the crowded North Texas landscape.

the strategy

Provide consistent communication that targets key audiences across multiple channels

Cooksey provides strategic communications efforts for the Irving Economic Development Partnerships that focus on consistent communications across multiple channels that target specific key audiences. In its work as the Partnership’s agency-of-record, Cooksey’s efforts help set the city apart and showcase its unique location within the region, its solid infrastructure, its numerous amenities that appeal to both C-level executives and their employees and the deep expertise of its economic development team, who work hand-in-hand with companies as they consider relocating to or expanding in the city.

the solution

Execute complementary marketing and public relations initiatives that showcase Irving-Las Colinas’ longstanding reputation as pro-business community

Strategic communications services on behalf of IEDP have included developing a video that highlights Irving-Las Colinas’ attributes, including its unique “10-Minute Life”, the city’s convenient lifestyle where all necessities and amenities are accessible within a 10-minute transit. The video offers an inside look into Irving-Las Colinas’ many corporate and business office choices and their proximity to two world-class airports and numerous high-quality housing, dining, entertainment and outdoor recreation options.

In addition, Cooksey employs media relations and paid content strategies to continually keep Irving-Las Colinas top-of-mind among site selectors, corporate executives and real estate developers searching for potential relocation and expansion options. These include earned and paid media announcing the city’s latest real estate deals and notable community differentiators within leading publications such as Texas CEO, Business Facilities, Texas Town & City, Site Selection, D CEO, the Dallas Business Journal, The Dallas Morning News, NTX Inno and more. Cooksey also leverages Irving-Las Colinas’ most notable real estate developments for awards program submissions, including the new build-to-suit CHRISTUS Health headquarters expansion and the new 400,000-square-foot Wells Fargo campus, the region’s largest development in recent years. In addition, Cooksey’s efforts include raising the profile of Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and IEDP CEO, Beth Bowman, as a statewide and industry thought leader, through key media placements and strategic social media programming focused on LinkedIn.

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VanTrust

Building VanTrust into a Longstanding Player in the Texas Real Estate Market

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Hillwood

Bringing Global Attention to One of Texas’ Leading Economic Engines

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Hillwood is one of the nation’s largest developers of commercial, residential and industrial real estate. To bring wider attention to one of Texas’ premier economic engines, Hillwood has retained Cooksey Communications for more than a decade to promote the company’s internationally acclaimed, 27,000-acre master-planned development, AllianceTexas. As AllianceTexas has expanded during that time, Cooksey has managed the development’s strategic communications efforts, implementing an ever-evolving strategy that continues to keep the mixed-use inland port at the forefront of the business media landscape.

industry

real estate

services

communications assessments & planning
corporate social responsibility
creative services – web and digital
crisis communications & issues management
internal communications
key message development
marketing strategy & planning
media relations
public involvement & stakeholder engagement
special events
thought leadership positioning

the challenge

Build an Enduring Media and Brand Presence During Multiple Business Cycles

The AllianceTexas mixed-use development and inland port is one of the most unique and successful real estate projects in the U.S., comprised of industrial, Class A office/campus, residential, retail, multifamily and aviation asset classes. Even with all of its success as a global corporate destination, the Texas market does experience cyclical shifts in its real estate market. Cooksey was engaged by Hillwood in 2011, during the peak of the financial crisis and has remained the company’s day-to-day public relations consultant throughout North Texas’s exponential growth period and during the global pandemic. With many competing business stories in a market as large as Dallas-Fort Worth, the challenge has been to keep sustained media interest in the development over the span of two decades.

the strategy

Leverage the AllianceTexas Story through Several Industry and Regional Growth Trends

Throughout its role as day-to-day public relations counsel for AllianceTexas, the Cooksey team has developed messaging, media outreach materials, and creative pieces designed to demonstrate Hillwood’s leadership not only within the real estate community, but also as a business innovator on the leading-edge of global industry. From 2011-2016, Hilllwood brought three significant corporate campus projects to AllianceTexas, including Charles Schwab Corp.’s global headquarters, Deloitte University and Mercedes Benz Credit Services. Meta developed one of the world’s largest data centers at the development in 2016, while Amazon Air located a significant air operations facility at Fort Worth Alliance Airport. And, in the 2020s, Hillwood launched the Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ) at AllianceTexas, which has become a key component of the development’s Smart Port platform.

the solution

Execute an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan that Yields Big Results

By connecting the AllianceTexas story to the exponential growth happening in North Texas, Hillwood has benefited from international, national and regional media stories generated by Cooksey showcasing the development as a key corporate destination and an integral component of the U.S. supply chain. Hillwood has received countless awards for their projects and executive leadership, which Cooksey has helped to facilitate. Cooksey’s creative team has also managed important branding projects for AllianceTexas, including the long-running AllianceTexas Magazine, E-newsletters, brochures, video productions and digital marketing strategies.

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VanTrust

Building VanTrust into a Longstanding Player in the Texas Real Estate Market

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Irving Economic Development Partnership

Showcasing Why Irving is Texas’ “Headquarters of Headquarters”

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When ELM Companies, an Illinois-based microgrid and solar technology manufacturer, sought to expand its footprint in North Texas, brand recognition was relatively low. The company, launched in 1998, had customers in more than 100 countries and employees in 22 U.S. states, yet public relations had not been a priority. Anticipating the opening of its new 125,000-square-foot facility in The Colony, ELM engaged Cooksey to ensure the right people were in the room—and Cooksey delivered, with city leaders as speakers and top-tier media coverage.

industry

energy & power

services

corporate social responsibility
market entries
media relations
special events
thought leadership positioning

the challenge

Building Brand Awareness for a Cleantech Newcomer

With its business-friendly economy and abundant sun, Texas leads the nation in solar generation. Competition among solar energy and clean technology players can be fierce, so capturing market share requires brands to stand out from the pack. Securing media coverage and creating relationships with relevant audiences and opinion leaders across sectors called for an agency partner with impactful connections.

the strategy

Positioning an Innovative Manufacturer for Market Entry

Cooksey prepared and distributed press releases and pitches on ELM’s advancements and installations to local, national and industry media while simultaneously building stakeholder lists and conducting community outreach to announce milestones over a period of nine months leading up to the grand opening. Additionally, Cooksey developed key messages and web copy to position ELM’s energy storage solutions for the growing electric vehicle market.

the solution

Convening Stakeholders and Garnering Media Coverage for Reputational Benefit

Cooksey assisted ELM in crafting press releases, remarks and other collateral for key milestones in its North Texas expansion, leading to 89 articles over an eight-month period. Cooksey also secured prime placements in The Dallas Morning News for the announcement and opening of ELM’s new manufacturing and distribution center, attended by more than 100 guests, staff and their families, in April 2024. Cooksey also provided strategic connections to the local business community and workforce training providers at Tarrant County College and North Central Texas College, laying the groundwork for ELM’s continued North Texas expansion.

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Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

Reporting ESG Performance and Promoting Financial Inclusion in Multiple Markets

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Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Designing an Award-Winning ESG Report for a Global Hub

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Situated at the intersection of five major roadways, Anna, Texas, is the ideally positioned along the northern corridor of expansion of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. As the metroplex has grown, more people have moved north to Collin County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, to find affordable housing, good schools and a better quality of life. A trusted partner of the Anna Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Cooksey Communications focuses on driving awareness for the rapidly developing outer-ring suburb as it grows to its full potential at the crossroads of rapid development in the North Texas region.

industry

government & economic development

services

communications assessments & planning
creative services – branding and collateral
creative services – web and digital
crisis communications & issues management
key message development
marketing strategy & planning
media relations
public involvement & stakeholder engagement
special events
thought leadership positioning

the challenge

Build a presence and create a lasting impression in a sea of thriving communities

For many people not living in the immediate area, Anna, Texas, was once best known as a “truck stop city,” in the far reaches of northern Collin County. In addition, in recent years, a number of other outer-ring suburbs also began to emerge in the area, creating further challenges as Anna worked to establish itself as a pro-business, pro-growth city focused on providing an attractive location for businesses and a home for those searching for affordable housing and close proximity to both the Dallas area and the rising tech hub in Grayson County just north of the city. Once Anna adopted its new strategic plan and reduced permitting process timeline, the need arose to raise awareness and educate target audiences, including real estate developers and brokers, homebuilders and the business community, about Anna and its business-friendly trajectory for growth.

the strategy

Create a brand that reflects opportunity and capitalizes on North Texas’ momentum as a destination for growth and relocation

Cooksey initiated its efforts for the Anna EDC with a comprehensive communications audit and plan that would lead to the creation of a lasting brand and ensure on-target messaging. The audit included conducting interviews with city officials and key stakeholders and a review of peer and aspirational cities’ marketing and branding efforts. As part of the final plan, Cooksey refreshed Anna’s branding with a modern, eye-catching look-and-feel, developed key messages sharing Anna’s pro-business mindset and growth potential, and created the EDC’s signature tagline, “Groundbreaking Possibilities.” This audit and plan set the stage to launch an ongoing marketing program that would raise awareness about Anna and educate target audiences about its pro-growth strategy.

the solution

Implement a comprehensive marketing plan that highlights Anna’s potential and attracts developers

As part of its efforts, Cooksey keeps Anna top-of-mind among the developer, broker and business communities by employing media relations, advertising, and paid content. To combat the challenge of Anna’s northern Collin County location, Cooksey and the Anna EDC regularly host key media contacts for city tours, resulting in features and numerous stories in target media outlets including the Dallas Business Journal, Dallas Morning News and Bisnow, while also sharing Anna’s business and residential real estate development progress in media outlets including DCEO, Texas Contractor, CoStar and REDnews. In addition, Cooksey developed a video of Anna that showcases its numerous attributes, from vast land available for development to infrastructure connections to the region and a high quality of life. The video provides an easy way for target audiences to get a firsthand look at Anna, whether at tradeshows, sponsored events or on the Anna EDC website. Award nominations and commercial real estate event sponsorships also play a significant role in furthering exposure among Anna’s key target audiences. Finally, Cooksey develops engaging ads for placement in business and real estate-related trade media publications that are often accompanied by advertorials and sponsorship recognitions.