Click below for a report on the December 2, 2009 NOCA Forum from The Plain Dealer

Click below for a report on the October 28, 2009 NOCA Forum from The Plain Dealer

Click below for a report on the Setpember 30, 2009 NOCA Forum from The Plain Dealer

February, 2009

40,000 People and $5 Billion

Study Shows Breadth & Depth
of NEO’s Marketing Communications Industry

CLEVELAND, Ohio —   After saying for the past several years that the marketing communications industry in Northeast Ohio is a force to be reckoned with, NOCA – Northeast Ohio Communications Advocates – now has some hard data to support that claim.  In a recently released study, NOCA found that, in an eight-county area (Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake, Ashtabula, Media, Summit, Geauga and Portage), there were 39,412 people working in marketing communications.  Those people worked at 2,752 establishments and contributed $4.9 billion to the region’s economy.

“Our research project is the cornerstone of NOCA’s efforts to define the marketing communications industry in Northeast Ohio,” said Dick Clough, NOCA president.  “This study clearly demonstrates the impact that our industry has on the region.”

The study primarily drew upon federal economic census data and indicates that marketing communications industry in Northeast Ohio is larger than the region’s transportation, hospitality, and arts and entertainment sectors.  The study used federal 6-digit NAICS codes (formerly SIC codes) to divide the industry into three areas: advertising-supported and non-advertising supported information sources – including print and broadcast news, Internet and more; information services – such as advertising agencies, direct mail, photography, etc.; and “supportive” services such as printing, telemarketing, trade shows, etc.  In all, the study identified 52 separate NAICS codes as falling under the marketing communications umbrella.

“We started out intending to get a snapshot of the marketing communications industry and ended up proving that Northeast Ohio is a creative center, given the depth and breadth of businesses and competencies documented,” said Ken Robertson, president of MarketPro Services, a NOCA director who spearheaded the effort.

NOCA director Jerry Hoegner who also helped drive the effort added, “The study quantifies our industry as a regional asset.   Whether it’s advertising and public relations, graphic design or Web design, photography or publishing – the infrastructure of go-to-market core competencies is already here.”

As the region’s marketing industry trade council, NOCA is an umbrella organization for 28 separate marketing communications organizations from throughout Northeast Ohio including advertising, public relations, direct marketing, printing, photography, graphic and Web design, new media, broadcasting, journalism and more.

EDITOR’S NOTE: More information on the NOCA study can be downloaded at:  http://www.jptgrouppr.com/media_room.asp   –   click on “NOCA Study.”