NYC Best For Business Infographic Competition 2012 Press Release

OCTOBER 15, 2012
Contact:
Andre Gutierrez, Matiz Architecture & Design (MAD), 212-982-4613 x107

NYCEDC Announces Winner of "NYC Best For Business Infographic Competition 2012"

Design Submitted By Sara Matiz of MAD Selected Following a Competitive Public Voting Process

New York, NY, October 15, 2012 - New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced the winner of the “NYC Best for Business Infographic Competition 2012,” which challenged creative New Yorkers—as well as residents from across the country—to demonstrate why New York City is the premier global destination for business. Following a highly competitive two-week voting process in which more than 3,000 votes were cast, the design submitted by Sara Matiz of Matiz Architecture & Design (MAD) was selected, receiving a majority of the votes among three finalists. For her winning efforts, Sara will receive $1,000 as well as a full-size print of her infographic design signed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The winning design will also be used by NYCEDC to continue to promote New York City’s global competitiveness, and can be viewed at www.nycedc.com/bestforbusiness.

“We want to congratulate Sara on her inspired design, which perfectly captures the incredible advantages and the many opportunities available in New York City today,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky. “We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to all those responsible for the dozens of submissions in this contest, each of which demonstrated enormous creativity in showcasing why New York City is the ideal destination for 21st Century businesses.”

Using recent data highlighting New York’s increasing competitiveness in global business, contestants were asked to design and create a visually stimulating “infographic” to effectively capture this important trend taking place in the City. The contest, which originally launched in July, received dozens of submissions. An initial judging period led to the selection of three final designs, which were submitted by JeongHo Park, Sara Matiz, and Erica Virtue. These designs were then entered into the public voting period that began earlier this month, allowing the public to ultimately select their favorite design.  ‘We were very honored to be chosen as a finalist in the competition,’ says Sara Matiz, ‘having the opportunity to highlight our great city of New York as a top business destination as well as showcase my agency’s graphic design capabilities.”

The contest was designed to highlight impressive statistics and the enormous recognition New York City has recently received for being a top destination for business. This includes: Economist Intelligence Unit – #1 Most Competitive City in the World; The Atlantic – America's Most Powerful Global City; Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2012; and AT Kearney – Global Cities Index; #1—all of which were included in the approved datasets contestants used for their infographic design. In addition to these impressive awards, New York has also seen tremendous growth in technology jobs in the last five years, and there are now more private sector jobs in New York City than at any time in the city’s history, eclipsing the previous peak from 1969.

In addition to highlighting the City’s pro-business standing, the competition was also meant to create additional opportunities for designers within New York City’s growing design sector. According to a 2011 report by the Center for an Urban Future, the design sector expanded significantly between 2000 and 2009, with design sector jobs in the metro area growing by 75%. Among the largest increases were for graphic designers, which increased by 139% during this time.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City’s primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC’s mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City’s competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City’s many opportunities. Find us on Facebook to learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives.

About Matiz Architecture & Design (MAD)
MAD is an award-winning 360 degree architectural, branding and design agency with clients across many industry sectors, including retail, healthcare and leading not-for-profits. The branding and design part of the business, MAD Studio, is a WBE-certified business led by Sara Matiz.