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The Dispatch wrote
‘Cool’ factor seems like a Catch-22 for city
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
BY JOE BLUNDO
How do we get people to participate in the idea of Columbus? Brain chemistry. The anticipation of buying stuff causes our brains to release dopamine, a pleasure chemical. To lure visitors, Columbus must become a perceived source of surprising pleasure. Because most of the nation doesn’t perceive Columbus at all, the challenge is significant.
I say we target the young by following the Pabst Blue Ribbon model. You already know how: It’s cheap. The ultimate attraction of beer isn’t taste; it’s mood alteration. Pabst, at $1.25 a glass, gets that done just as effectively as a $7 brew.
I think Columbus has to become a sort of metropolitan Pabst Blue Ribbon: low-priced, unpretentious and favored by the young. We shouldn’t advertise the town as cool, though, because that wouldn’t be cool. Walker says the new rage in marketing is to stage poorly publicized events that build a sort of underground buzz.
Comments
- itinerantfoodie: Not one mention of Huntington Park or their sparse advertising. (Seriously
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- RichLauro: Awesome! Good for Justin and best wishes!!
- Liz Samuelson: @jpizzow – Thank you for the compliment, yes lots of potential and lots o
- Taz Devil: Oh, and it should be finished soon considering that they work late into the
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‘Cool’ factor seems like a Catch-22 for city
By: Walker
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If we want to be obscure but amazing, why can’t we be the Trappist Westvleteren 12 of cities instead?
See, he actually had me in the article with an interesting premise, with the whole PBR version of marketing Columbus — but then it’s like he decided “F it, I’m through putting serious thought into this” and started in to the ridiculous, like the supermarket and kidnapping nonsense. :roll:
I guess at the bottom of it, the PBR-factor vibe is probably a lot of what YP marketing/advertising is all about already anyway – trying to figure out what it is to make things click, while realizing that traditional/over-the-top marketing is usually going to turn off the people you really want to attract.
I think this article has some legs if you can ignore the tongue-in-cheek bits that you pointed out.
I disagree about there being a Catch 22 here though. I think the “uncool to market yourself as cool” concept can be circumvented if executed in the right way.
And while no individual group has gotten it nailed down quite right yet, the fact that people are trying and failing is more encouraging than not trying for it at all.
I disagree about there being a Catch 22 here though. I think the “uncool to market yourself as cool” concept can be circumvented if executed in the right way.
And while no individual group has gotten it nailed down quite right yet, the fact that people are trying and failing is more encouraging than not trying for it at all.
When you say ‘people’ who are you referring to? If it’s Experience Columbus, we have no prayer. It’s more like people are speaking up, ducking out, and speaking up again and I have to say it’s very frustrating. Do you think that this city is schizoid and paranoid? That’s my conclusion. Perhaps it’s cool these days to be schizoid and paranoid. I’m coming to terms with it.
i’m glad now, that when i hear “columbus is cool!”, it’s not from someone trying to be ironic.
AmyD, let’s send Joe Blundo some of our “Columbus love” crafties!!
Them, the Chamber, various contract companies, arts organizations, cultural institutions. It seems like everyone is trying something a little different, but never quite nailing it.
Say what you will about various efforts, but again: Trying > Not Trying
I think Columbus has to become a sort of metropolitan Pabst Blue Ribbon
So what they’re saying is that Columbus has no taste and has nothing else to reccomend it other than its cheap and has decent marketing?
Reminds me of that old dude at the end of the show 60Minutes.
Wow, the Dispatch is writing about how to market cool and attract young people. Isn’t it ironic.
great idea!
Andy Rooney cracks me up. He’s a good example of how once someone has had his role for so long he may realize he can afford to relax a bit on quality and effort and often people will just go along with it because he’s seen as wise and has earned it (brilliant and something you can’t really do as a “Young Professional”- the idea being that we’re trying to earn respect in a field I guess).
I think he’s kinda got the whole “not marketing yourself as cool” thing down too. I mean, really, I’d like to be like him when I grow up. :wink:
I don’t know a lot of background on the situations you are speaking of and would be interested in hearing more. It sounds like plain old flakiness to me. Maybe they are only interested in certain goals affecting them and won’t put effort into other group interests. Or perhaps they are going in and out of several organisations attempting to find a good fit amongst different people/agendas they can really stick behind. People who base their identity on having a social role tend to keep themselves busy too, it could be a side affect of very active community members overbooking themselves (or a mix of the three examples).
Andy Rooney cracks me up. He’s a good example of how once someone has had his role for so long he may realize he can afford to relax a bit on quality and effort and often people will just go along with it because he’s seen as wise and has earned it (brilliant and something you can’t really do as a “Young Professional”- the idea being that we’re trying to earn respect in a field I guess).
I think he’s kinda got the whole “not marketing yourself as cool” thing down too. I mean, really, I’d like to be like him when I grow up. :wink:
I’d rather be Wilford Brimley when I grow up.
pointless article if you ask me. the weed must have kicked in right at the end of the article with the whole kidnapping thing. what the hell was that about?
Can I have Blundo’s job? Seriously, he doesn’t actually get PAID for this, does he?
Actually, I think the “Columbus is the Pabst Blue Ribbon of cities” is a great, creative idea.
Andy Rooney cracks me up. He’s a good example of how once someone has had his role for so long he may realize he can afford to relax a bit on quality and effort and often people will just go along with it because he’s seen as wise and has earned it (brilliant and something you can’t really do as a “Young Professional”- the idea being that we’re trying to earn respect in a field I guess).
I think he’s kinda got the whole “not marketing yourself as cool” thing down too. I mean, really, I’d like to be like him when I grow up. :wink:
I’d rather be Wilford Brimley when I grow up.
Wilford Brimley was a bodyguard for Howard Hughes!
PBR is pretty mainstream. It was hip 3 years ago. But I do like it.
I have switched over to drinking Busch instead… maybe it will catch on… I don’t know. I don’t know!
I really like Columbus the way it is. It is cheap and the ghost town at night is awesome for cycling. So what if no one has a preception of Cols. The cool kids are always elusive.
I choose Busch too, and better yet, Busch Light. Head for the Mountains young man! PBR corrodes my insides.
Personally, I’ve always thought Columbus seemed like the Bud Light of cities, or the Toyota Camry of cities. Maybe he’s saying we need a shift from a Bud Light mentality to a PBR mentality?