Decision-makers looking to invest in U.S. cities have a clear sense of places such as New York and Philadelphia, but not Baltimore, area business leaders say.

But they’re expecting that to change.

The Greater Baltimore Committee is rolling out an economic brand designed to sum up reasons to invest in Baltimore in two words: “Bold Moves.”

The business advocacy group said it developed the regional brand positioning after months of market research and interviews, along with broad backing from regional stakeholders.

GBC, which planned a brand premiere unveiling event Monday evening at Towson University, says “Bold Moves” is not a slogan designed mostly to woo visitors, such as “I Love New York.” Rather, it’s a framework through which Baltimore-area companies, small businesses, institutions, economic development officials, residents and others can tell stories about success through risk-taking.

“This is our platform to start to lay the foundation so that we can be more competitive in making our case,” Mark Anthony Thomas, GBC president and CEO, said in an interview. “We looked at the gaps between what decision makers know now and what we need to emphasize that would make them more likely to invest in the region. The brand responds to that gap.”

GBC released early results of its initiative in December, finding that U.S. business leaders who are familiar with Baltimore tend to rate it positively and describe it as “friendly,” “connected” and progressive-leaning. But according to a report by market research firm Ipsos and feedback from two other consultants, the city needs to overcome negative perceptions of safety and quality of life.

Thomas, who began heading GBC in December 2022 and spearheaded a 10-year economic opportunity plan, has said the region lacks a clear and consistent narrative that highlights its strengths and civic progress.

“Bold Moves,” highlighting movement and transformation, is a way for the organization and its partners to position the region to local, domestic and global audiences, he said.

“It’s definitely more important now than ever,” Thomas said, when the state is struggling with a growing deficit and cuts to the workforce at Maryland-based federal agencies and universities under the Trump administration.

Such messaging is crucial, he said, to align stakeholders when it comes to job growth, expansion and investment goals.

During GBC’s brand event Monday, where it was expecting several hundred business and civic leaders, the group announced results of its 2024 “investment scorecard,” which tracks economic deals across a six-county region and Baltimore.

The region had $4.45 billion in announced investment deals, including $3.9 billion in 147 announced development deals and $569 million in 85 announced venture capital deals, according to economic development organizations, regional business partners and the state Department of Commerce.

The “Bold Moves” initiative plans to use such data to bolster its message, which stemmed from ideas such as Baltimore being a “city of firsts,” having roots in transportation, railroads and logistics and leading advancements in life sciences, manufacturing and national security.

Jeremie Feinblatt, vice president of strategy at Resonance, a consultant that worked with GBC, said research and interviews showed a consistent theme around Baltimore making “bold moves others don’t.” The research underscored a perception of Baltimore as a region with a progressive business climate that helps entrepreneurs and companies take risks more easily than in other metro markets.

Lakey Boyd, GBC’s chief economic officer, will head “Bold Moves” initiatives for the organization. The message will be spread through a website, in marketing campaigns, at global tradeshow industry events and elsewhere.

“An evolution that is needed in this market is the idea that this work that we’re doing is not separate from the kinds of programs and services that the state and municipalities want to provide for residents,” Boyd said in an interview. “It is deeply intertwined. Private sector business growth is really over time what spurs the surpluses and the kind of revenue that enable residential programs and services that so many people prioritize.”

Gov. Wes Moore, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and county executives and officials in Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford, Howard and Cecil counties have lined up behind the brand as a way to unite the region in its business investment goals.

The idea “captures the essence of who we are: fearless, forward-thinking, and driven to create real change,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said in a press release. “With this new identity, we are telling the world what we already know — Baltimore is a powerhouse of talent, creativity, and opportunity.”