Talent Wars Podcast: Playing Offense: How Buffalo Flipped the Narrative on Its Weather

Join host Patience Fairbrother on the latest episode of Talent Wars as she sits down with Greg Pokriki, communications manager at Invest Buffalo Niagara, to discover how Buffalo is leveraging its weather to attract new residents and redefine its identity by positioning itself as a climate refuge. Greg shares how Buffalo, New York is flipping the script on a stereotype by going on the offense. 

The “Be in Buffalo” campaign, a program of Invest Buffalo Niagara, is the region’s talent attraction initiative introducing – or reintroducing – a new Buffalo to an entire generation of people with the skills needed to build an economy of the future. Leveraging findings from a Harvard University study that called Buffalo a potential refuge from climate change, Greg and his team saw an opportunity to try and change the way that people think about Buffalo through a proactive PR and marketing strategy. Listen in for a great case study for communities looking to flip a negative community perception or stereotype into an innovative way to attract new talent and business. Listen to this episode to learn:  

• The importance and benefits of understanding and owning your community’s perception and stereotypes.  

• Why you should take an offensive position to shape your community’s narrative. 

• How to create a well-rounded public relations strategy that effectively shifts perceptions. 

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