New 'Needham 100 Day Challenge' Promotes Local Business

NEEDHAM, MA — There's about 100 days left in 2020 and the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber want to use each one of those days to support local businesses. The chamber's Needham Business Alliance committee started a marketing campaign designed to support and promote the town’s businesses and restaurants during the final 100 days in 2020.

The campaign is a collaboration between the Newton-Needham Chamber’s Needham Business Alliance committee, the Town of Needham, local businesses, civic leaders and community members. The campaign was designed by Traktek Partners, a Needham-based digital marketing agency, on a pro bono basis as a community service to its hometown.

"Restaurants and retailers are entering a critical 100-day period that will determine who survives the worst economy since the Great Depression and who doesn’t," said Chamber President Greg Reibman. "We want to remind the pubic of the severity of the problem, while also reminding everyone that this isn’t a painful ask because we have so many terrific businesses here."

The Needham 100 Day Challenge will feature local merchants sharing stories about their businesses, with amplification from residents and community leaders about the many options for shopping and dining in Needham. Messages emphasizing mask wearing, social distancing and adhering to other safety protocols will also be incorporated.

"The Town of Needham is delighted to partner with the chamber to encourage all our residents to Shop Local Dine Local during the 100 Day Challenge," said Needham Select Board member Marianne Cooley, "We are fortunate to have so many terrific restaurants and shops in Needham - and we want to keep it that way."

The campaign launched this week with the creation of a logo, a Needham 100 Day Challenge Facebook Group, Instagram page and the #Needham100dayChallenge hashtag. In addition, the town and the chamber partnered to hang a series of Shop Local Dine Local Needham banners in downtown Needham.

Lemaire said additional elements of the campaign will be announced in the days to come.

The 100 Day Challenge is sponsored by Needham Bank, BID-Needham Hospital, Briarwood Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, Rockland Trust, One Wingate Way, Middlesex Savings Bank and Dedham Savings Bank.