The South Dakota Retailers Association and National Retail Federation have joined forces to launch a new “This is Retail: South Dakota” campaign to drive public awareness of the positive impact retailers have on the communities they serve. The joint statewide effort seeks to highlight the retail industry’s strong support for careers, communities and innovation.
“Retailers are a driving force in the well-being of the state and its local communities,” SDRA Executive Director Shawn Lyons said. “They create opportunities for employment, give back to their communities, work hard to meet the needs of customers, and look for ways to continually improve their businesses.”
Nationwide and in South Dakota, one in four jobs are supported by retail. In South Dakota, the retail industry employs nearly 96,000 in direct retail employment, and supports more than 127,000 total jobs. Retail accounts for 17 percent of South Dakota’s gross domestic product and generates 16 percent of wages.
The “This is Retail: South Dakota” campaign is launching with a series of videos produced by NRF, which feature documentary-style interviews with South Dakota retailers and merchants. Each video highlights a different aspect of retail. To complement the initiative, SDRA plans to build on the campaign with additional content and material from retailers across the state.
“We are proud to join the South Dakota Retailers Association to launch this campaign,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “In a state blessed with bountiful land and beautiful monuments, it is easy to overlook the important role that retail plays in the South Dakota economy. We hope this effort sheds a positive light on the retail industry and how South Dakota retailers work every day to build a stronger and more vibrant state.”
“I have traveled to every part of this state and have spoken with retailers in every type and size of business,” Lyons said. “They will tell you with pride how they started at the bottom of the ladder and worked their way up, and how rewarding it is to continually strive to find new ways to serve their customers and grow their businesses. Their message is that whether you want to work in retail or become a retail entrepreneur, it’s a great lifelong career choice.”
South Dakota is one of six states chosen by NRF to initiate the “This is Retail” campaign at the state level in 2014, along with North Carolina, Washington, California, Ohio and Illinois.
Source: National Retail Federation
