Thursday, February 24, 2011

Worth A Visit?

On the flight down here, I read an interesting article in AirTran's magazine about developing new tourism slogans.  The article was making the point that these slogans are really important but surprisingly tricky to come up with. 

The article got me thinking about city and state slogans that work and those that don't.  Arguably the most successful are: "I [heart] New York," "Virginia is for lovers," and "What Happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."  But what about the others?  It seems like they fall into a couple of basic buckets. 

Some simply describe the locale: "Wild and Wonderful" (West Virginia), "Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places" (South Carolina), "Pure Michigan," "It's Like a Whole Other Country" (Texas).

Others invite viewers to visit: "Your Florida Side is Calling," "Explore Minnestota."

Still others hint at what will happen if you visit: "Life Changing" (Iowa), "Unbridled Spirit" (Kentucky)

Others, frankly, don't make a lot of sense: "Kansas: As Big As You Think," "Live Like You Mean it" (Wisconsin).

I, personally, really like Mississippi's new slogan: "Find Your True South," though I wonder if people will pick up on the play on "true North." 

Which tourism slogans work for you, and which ones not so much?

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