fadulous ColumbusUnderground.com Messageboard en-US Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:50:20 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/search.php http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-341192 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:18:00 +0000 byJody 341192@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see a link to the newest 11/12/10 article. </p> <p><a href="http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/hello-columbus/?scp=1&#38;sq=columbus%20ohio&#38;st=cse">Hello, Columbus</a><br /> How the Ohio city became a Midwestern gay mecca. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-341127 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:11:31 +0000 pez 341127@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p><cite>fringeoutfitters wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-341122"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> I'm all about highlighting the Arch city (no pun intended)</p></blockquote> <p>While we have history on our side, St. Louis has a really big arch that identifies them. We'd need to differentiate ourselves from that:<br /> "Columbus - The Arch Deluxe City" </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-341126 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 18:57:35 +0000 lazyfish 341126@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>a city with an identity crisis</p> <p>we're cool, the New York Times says so, honest.</p> <p>Columbus, get over yourself and live a little</p> <p>we're aspirational</p> <p>not your average test market </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-341122 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:27:28 +0000 fringeoutfitters 341122@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>I'm all about highlighting the Arch city (no pun intended) </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-341120 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 15:11:00 +0000 Talcott 341120@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p>Arch City, if it was ever widely used, is outdated. It sprang from the lighted wooden arches that spanned High Street in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (and have since returned in modern, metal form)</p></blockquote> <p>Um, actually, Arch City <i>was</i> widely used, and I'd rather bring that back than come up with something new. Columbus' strength is in its neighborhoods, and while I wouldn't expect every street to be lined with arches the was the Short North is, arches like the ones for Old North Columbus would be relatively easy/inexpensive to install, would echo the nickname throughout the town, and could also help draw tourists to different areas of the city.</p> <p>Also, frankly, it would look a lot less desperate than trying to come up with/promote a brand new nickname from scratch. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-341116 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 14:32:16 +0000 cbustransit 341116@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>the bellwether city </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-341115 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 14:21:54 +0000 byJody 341115@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>Blundo - SO TO SPEAK<br /> <a href="http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2010/11/21/despite-its-attributes-columbus-lacks-a-catchy-moniker.html">Despite its attributes, Columbus lacks a catchy moniker</a><br /> Sunday, November 21, 2010 03:01 AM<br /> The Columbus Dispatch</p> <p>More on the Contest<br /> <a href="http://web-face-solutions.com/" rel="nofollow">http://web-face-solutions.com/</a></p> <p>My entries:<br /> Coolumbus<br /> Hip and Happy<br /> THE Columbus (a spin on "The" Ohio State University)<br /> It's Ohio, only tolerant!<br /> The melting pot </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-325752 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:19:55 +0000 Mercurius 325752@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>Really, I think we need a regional marketing plan:</p> <p>For New York City, L.A.<br /> Columbus, Ohio: Tapped by the Blue Fairy</p> <p>For Philly, D.C. and Baltimore (east coast)<br /> Columbus, Ohio: A Bit of Everything - and You Won't Get Stabbed</p> <p>For the Southwest<br /> Columbus, Ohio: Water, Check. Arable Land, Check.</p> <p>For the rest of California<br /> Columbus, Ohio: A City, Without the Pretense</p> <p>For the Pacific Northwest<br /> Columbus, Ohio: Where You Don't Have to be a Barista</p> <p>For Florida<br /> Columbus, Ohio: Not Where You Go to Die </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-322464 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:49:07 +0000 Mike Brown 322464@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>This is a great CU thread, I finally read all the comments.</p> <p>Successful branding is simple, true and repeated for years to be meaningful. It is not a slogan and it cannot be everything to everyone. Successful city branding requires many entities to share in the overall themes, but deliver them in diverse ways, some subtle, some overt. There's a lot more discussion on this to come!</p> <p>Having an image and telling a story does matter. Our Columbus stands ready to move into a higher level of competition, and we must make the most of upcoming opportunities like the Bicentennial and 2020 plan. Image affects businesses looking for recruits. It affects the Chamber when they try to bring in new companies. It affects travel and tourism (hospitality and leisure are 10% of the local economy, affecting some 62,000 jobs). It affects colleges and research facilities ability to get the best minds. It affects our ability to keep creative people building their lives and careers (or art, music, code, food, company, etc.). It impacts our civic pride and residents’ desire to get engaged in making Columbus a better place.</p> <p>Experience Columbus is on a mission - to make it easy and fun for thousands of visitors, fans, tourists and conventioneers to connect to Columbus’ hotels, events, arts, restaurants and services. We sell 400,000 hotel rooms a year and touch hundreds of thousands more people on visits. We are often talking to large groups planning 3-10 years in advance of a major conference or event, but also do tourism marketing to regional and national outlets. </p> <p>Many of the national story placements you read about Columbus neighborhoods or restaurants (or ice cream) are the result of the reporters Experience Columbus brings to town each year for tours. We are one part of the overall story-telling machine, and that’s why we are so interested in finding new and authentic ways of carrying forward the city’s image, through our Bicentennial in 2012 and beyond. We love the music and arts scene, we love our foodie adventurers, we love the folks bringing edgier energy to the urban heart of the city, but they are only one part of the whole Destination Columbus package.</p> <p>One of the toughest facts of it all is that, to be successful, all we really need is for people to quit being so modest, believe in the thing they love about Columbus and then share it. A solid image can flow from word of mouth, based on what we already know is true and good about the community. While that may take some time (and head cracking!), it is helpful for entities like the Chamber and Experience Columbus to have pieces of the story to promote to audiences who bring economic action to town. There are hundreds of groups we could be pitching with a focused message and larger budget - that fills hotel beds, sells tickets to events and shows, packs restaurants and boosts retail sales. That work benefits everyone. It helps us even more if residents, colleges and companies are proud and promoting similar themes about our city. </p> <p>There will be many chances to discuss this issue in the coming months, and I hope this helps folks understand why we continue to push to tell our story nationally and build civic pride locally.</p> <p>Big thanks to all the folks out there actually doing things that make this city our own brand of freaky, cool, fun and delicious. They are the real heroes of the story that will be told. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-321165 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:43:36 +0000 drew 321165@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p><cite>HeySquare wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-321078"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> Drew... you didn't answer my question earlier. What exactly do you object to in the EC website? I get you think the color scheme is a little garish... is that it?<br /> I get that you all think that Portland is wonderful, but the presence of bike lanes and coffee shops alone will not inspire me to visit a place.</p></blockquote> <p>Yep, I think the color scheme is childish looking and unpleasant, and the brand identity is disturbingly juvenile. I hear you in thinking that pimping bikes and coffee isn't necessarily inspiring, but I'm of the opinion that something as generalist in nature as a visitor's bureau website isn't necessarily going to be inspiring for most. It's primary goal, aside from simply providing basic information, is to not be off-putting, and I think the EC website is.</p> <p>Another way to think about it it is that people who are looking for something good (and are therefore preconditioned to expect something good) in Columbus are going to seek out whatever it is they're specifically interested in. Those who are less committed to the idea of coming here may be more inclined to browse the EC website... and immediately get the impression that the city isn't geared towards them due to the juvenile nature of the visuals. </p> <p>It's a tough thing - the effects of a visual identity don't work on a rational level. But they do work - be it for or against - and big business invests astounding amounts of cash into making sure that they work <em>for</em> them. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-321078 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:43:34 +0000 HeySquare 321078@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p><cite>drew wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320690"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> I showed links a few pages back to suggest how a generalist can be a generalist and do it better than EC. Frankly, I don't even think that EC is particularly bad at a lot of what they do, but their identity (and subsequent interpretation of identity into various marketing channels) is just cringeworthy.</p></blockquote> <p>Drew... you didn't answer my question earlier. What exactly do you object to in the EC website? I get you think the color scheme is a little garish... is that it?</p> <p>I get that you all think that Portland is wonderful, but the presence of bike lanes and coffee shops alone will not inspire me to visit a place. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-321056 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:26:04 +0000 drew 321056@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p><cite>MikeReed wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-320734"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> I'm surprised Mike Brown hasn't stepped in here to crack some skulls together.</p></blockquote> <p>Why am I not surprised that the skulls of all participants in this thread are intact? </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-321024 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:23:03 +0000 ja 321024@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>Let's face it. Columbus is very suburban in nature. That's not meant to be negative, but it is what it is. Many people like the suburban attributes of wide streets and space between buildings and properties, cleanliness, ample and convenient parking, and general safe and secure neighborhoods. Because of these wonderful attributes, it goes largely unnoticed as do most suburbs around the nation that generally blend into one another. It is still a great place to raise a family without the hassles of big city problems. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-320780 Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:51:18 +0000 drew 320780@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p><cite>MikeReed wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-320734"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> I'm surprised Mike Brown hasn't stepped in here to crack some skulls together.</p></blockquote> <p>I'd welcome the opportunity for discussion. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-320779 Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:49:56 +0000 drew 320779@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p><cite>myliftkk wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320694"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> But, the majority of people who do travel to Columbus have a connection here. Columbus isn't a huge ignorant tourist draw, and I'm pretty sure it's not going to be, no matter how many pictures of bikes EC snaps. It's almost always people's prior connection to the area that draws them here.</p></blockquote> <p>I'm mystified by why you would assume that. Does having to attend a convention equate to having a connection? Being recruited by a firm in town? Knowing that Columbus the largest city near you? </p> <p>Would any of these connections, among others, preclude one from investigating a city otherwise?</p> <p>The EC website is ranked in the top 2% of all websites based upon traffic (1.2%, actually) by Alexa. Is that indicative of nothing?</p> <p>As joev mentioned earlier, it's a tremendous mistake in marketing to assume that any given individual's approach to something is anywhere close to universal. </p> <blockquote><p><cite>myliftkk wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320694"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite>And to the extent Columbus is further placed on the map, it's entrepreneurs that are doing that placing and the marketing.</p></blockquote> <p>I can't help but feel as though you're drawing arbitrary lines where gradients are more appropriate. It's not either/or, it's cumulative. Believe me, I don't doubt for a second that there are people that are inclined to research a city based solely upon their defined interests. I just don't think they're as numerous (or that people are as homogenous) as you suggest they must be.</p> <p>And, if they are, I'd have serious questions about why EC should exist in its current form (not to mention doubts about the criteria Alexa uses for ranking websites!). </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-320734 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:28:04 +0000 MikeReed 320734@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>I'm surprised Mike Brown hasn't stepped in here to crack some skulls together. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/11#post-320729 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 22:39:29 +0000 ChrisSunami 320729@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p><cite>RoundTowner wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/9#post-320610"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> Last time I checked, there was nothing wrong with being WHITE. And if you diversity, Columbus has the Second largest Somalia population and is the largest breeding ground for TERRORISTS !!!</p></blockquote> <p>In case you're wondering why people responded so negatively to your post --outside of the CAPITAL LETTERS:</p> <p><em>"nothing wrong with being WHITE"</em>: No one said there was. The poster you were responding to was claiming (wrongly, I believe) that Columbus has a lack of racial diversity. Right or wrong, it was intended as a statement of fact, not a value judgment, making your rush to defend the white race seem a bit odd.<br /> <em><br /> "if you diversity"</em>: We all make typos, especially on the internet, but this suggests you didn't take the time to reread your own post, let alone those of other people. </p> <p>Also, it doesn't fit this forum. While I am often no fan of what others post here, nearly everyone here at least takes the time to proofread their own writing.<br /> <em><br /> "Second Largest Somalia population"</em>: Somalia is the country, the people are called "Somali". This makes it seem like you don't know much about the Somali and don't care to learn.</p> <p><em>"largest breeding ground for TERRORISTS"</em>: The way you wrote this makes it seem like you think diversity = terrorism and that all Somali are terrorists. That may not be what you meant, but that's why you got accused of bigotry. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320695 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:30:35 +0000 JonMyers 320695@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>I'm not suggesting visual trickery or smoke and mirrors.</p> <p>Outsiders need a cue, a message, something to remember about Columbus.</p> <p>That simple. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320694 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:29:15 +0000 myliftkk 320694@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <blockquote><p><cite>drew wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320690"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite></p> <blockquote><p><cite>myliftkk wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320682"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> It's not inconsequential that I don't ever visit visitor bureau's. It's a habit that's not uncommon among the vast majority of people who travel because there's some existing connection between them and the place they're going to.</p></blockquote> <p>I don't understand this thinking. If you can admit that there are a significant number of people who <em>don't</em> have an existing connection to Columbus, then that'd seem to be the end of that line of argument... different marketing channels for different people, no?</p> <blockquote><p><cite>myliftkk wrote <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320682"> &gt;&gt; </a></cite><br /> ECs weakness, and the weakness of visitor bureau sites in general, is that they suffer from "all things to all people" syndrome. There's no cure for that, technology be damned. I don't visit NYCs visitor bureau when I want to find industrial clubs to visit in NYC, I hit up someplace like vampirefreaks or people I already know that live in/around the city who share the same interests. Expecting EC to be experts in everything and masters of communication is irresponsible.</p></blockquote> <p>I don't think anyone's arguing that visitors bureaus aren't inherently generalists. I showed links a few pages back to suggest how a generalist can be a generalist and do it better than EC. Frankly, I don't even think that EC is particularly bad at a lot of what they do, but their identity (and subsequent interpretation of identity into various marketing channels) is just cringeworthy.</p></blockquote> <p>But, the majority of people who do travel to Columbus have a connection here. Columbus isn't a huge ignorant tourist draw, and I'm pretty sure it's not going to be, no matter how many pictures of bikes EC snaps. It's almost always people's prior connection to the area that draws them here. And to the extent Columbus is further placed on the map, it's entrepreneurs that are doing that placing and the marketing.</p> <p>If EC capitalizes on that to an extent fine, if they don't exploit it to the maximum potential, the train keeps rolling. </p> http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-once-again-in-the-new-york-times/page/10#post-320692 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:15:51 +0000 myliftkk 320692@http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/ <p>@jon - Why the fascination w/ Portland as the competition? I don't even see the two as remotely similar unless it is an illogical joining because Portland is considered progressive? Columbus' competitors, to the extent that it has serious ones, are it's large neighbors: Indy, Cincy, Pitts, Detr, Cleve, Chi-town, etc. </p> <p>What has Columbus lost to Portland? The insurance industry? Nope, still here. The banking industry? Nope, still here. The mass apparel industry? Nope, still here, again. Artists? Nope, the professionals usually go to Southern Cali (where the industry is). Hipsters? Maybe, I dunno.</p> <p>Maybe it's because I lived next to the theme park industry for so long, but all you're suggesting is visual trickery in lieu of substantive difference. At the end of the day, or era, you'll snap that picture in many cities, and the value of that niche will trend toward zero, or already be there. Sure, they're concocting an image, an image which captures some peoples imaginations for a time, 'til they realize that's all that it is. More and more, people know that visitor's bureau are smoke and mirrors outfits and put the appropriate amount of stock in them and their "products".</p> <p>FYI, the fact that they even term Portland "Underground Above Ground" is pretty funny. "Underground" is a term I associate strictly with the Midwestern industrial music scene from the 80s/90s which certainly never migrated its center to Portland. But, how would their visitor's bureau know that... </p>