CalebR
Lincoln Village
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It does, but then we would be still called a cowtown.
I dont think you need the reason why the slogan says that is true. When you think about the Pure Michigan slogan, you don't have WHY its Pure and why we should visit. They are all in the commercials.
joshlapp
SoHud
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CalebR said:
I dont think you need the reason why the slogan says that is true. When you think about the Pure Michigan slogan, you don't have WHY its Pure and why we should visit. They are all in the commercials.
"Pure Michigan" denotes that it is a natural pristine environment, which is what the television ads are also displaying. This is something most can surmise from the slogan. "Columbus, the heart of it all" or something like that has no meaning, therefor it associates Columbus with nothing.
I would go for something like: "Columbus- Create it". The campaign would focus on our amazing small businesses and entrepreneurs, art and food scene, colleges and universities, and general opportunity to get involved and make the city your own (which is a huge asset when compared to cities much larger than our own... if you want to make a difference, come to Columbus).
JonMyers
HCMC ✈
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CalebR said:
It does, but then we would be still called a cowtown.I dont think you need the reason why the slogan says that is true. When you think about the Pure Michigan slogan, you don't have WHY its Pure and why we should visit. They are all in the commercials.
I dunno. A lot of these slogans just ring as gibberish to me. A concerted marketing campaign can build meaning into these slogans, but that costs a lot of money. I don't watch TV or commercials so "Pure Michigan" means absolutely nothing to me. I would suspect people don't naturally refer to Michigan as "pure" in the course of their conversations about the state.
Even if a good slogan were created, the marketing campaign that would build meaning into the slogan and capture mindshare beyond the Midwest would probably suck. The organizations here that would take it on have too many cooks in the kitchen, have to utilize the same old local creative firms, which would be responsible for the marketing assets and execution, and lastly, you would simply end up with the same old generalist, folksy "family friendly" crap you consistently see.
If a message about the city is to emerge, Columbus would probably be better served having it come from the ground up, organically, outside of the usual out of touch organizations that control and project the messaging about the city.
polymethylmethacrylate
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If a message about the city is to emerge, Columbus would probably be better served having it come from the ground up, organically, outside of the usual out of touch organizations that control and project the messaging about the city.
Too late.
The same old creative firms already picked your brand. They just didn't "sloganize" it (or announce it really) to "to keep the concept open to interpretation and development by anyone in Columbus" - which is code for just kinda sneaking it in on you and not announcing it to avoid the inevitable ball-breaking ala "Not in Columbus" and the like.
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/07/22/theme-emerging-from-city-backers.html
polymethylmethacrylate
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Not.
No slogan. It's better than a slogan. It's a brand!
They've left if "open" for you to sloganize! Get it? Even the brand is open... smart.
I've come to learn that these campaigns aren't about people or pride or civic awesomeness. They are about attracting a tax base and economic development. That's it. This was hush hush not because it is "open source" or even fits with the borrowed "it is what you build it to be" rhetoric.
This brand isn't for or about you- or even designed to reflect you. It's about bringing corporations here. That's all.
polymethylmethacrylate
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That is our brand. That's it.
This was decided months ago... Last Spring or so.
You don't get a vote, but you are free to make up as many of your own slogans for that brand as you would like.
polymethylmethacrylate
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Walker said:
Is that a bad thing?
No, not at all. That is not a bad thing. It is just a point of confusion for some people (the one's who love the city a bunch, I think- and that isn't bad either).
I actually think how it was handled was the only way it could be handled well. I also think the brand and execution are both smart.
I'm just saying that all of this ground up, grass roots talk. Save it. Channel that energy into something else. That's not what this is for. Enough barking up the wrong tree already.
CalebR
Lincoln Village
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polymethylmethacrylate said:
No, not at all. That is not a bad thing. It is just a point of confusion for some people (the one's who love the city a bunch, I think- and that isn't bad either).I actually think how it was handled was the only way it could be handled well. I also think the brand and execution are both smart.
I'm just saying that all of this ground up, grass roots talk. Save it. Channel that energy into something else. That's not what this is for. Enough barking up the wrong tree already.
Okay, seeing as we have a brand? Why don't we have ads or anything? Or are we waiting for the bicentennial?
polymethylmethacrylate
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I think we're waiting to see if the gays take to the "open" part.
polymethylmethacrylate
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The brand is smart- in more ways than one. I think "open" plays to Columbus' huge gay population- without saying "Hey we're gay friendly!!!" all loud and proud. It is subtle.
Don't tell me you didn't catch that this was half about business (smart) and half about gayness (open). C'mon. Think about it.
byJody
Rural NW Columbus
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The 200ColumbUS branding has started. I think I saw a print ad recently.
Read past newsletters http://200columbus.com/news/
Sign up to volunteer http://200columbus.com/get-involved/
lazyfish
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Wow! That some goofy stuff we got served. The concluding lines of the biz journal article say it all
McGinty said it’s up to Columbus residents and businesses to elevate the city’s image as “open and smart.”
“We have to pay this off,” he said. “The real branding is how we behave.”
We have to pay it off indeed. The real branding is how we behave???? What are we morons, "sit up straight Bubba, look sharp Earl, wipe that drool off your chin. We have to live up to our branding!"
What's up with the umlaut or star above the U, is that a tip o the hat to German village? Saw the arches in the first image in the biz journal article...my first thought with "open" was "open hearts open minds" (a great branding for the United Church of Christ) . yes it is code for gay friendly..why not "cruise by and check us out" , or Columbus you'll like our package of tax breaks, corporate subsidies, and somnambulant media.
the open smart motto link takes one to the about/present page
Celebrating the present (Zen?)
Columbus is a city with an open-minded approach to life and business. It’s a smart city with a progressive attitude, where people are free to go out on a limb. Where diversity isn’t just a state of being, but a state of mind. It’s made real through people, businesses, and neighborhoods — every day. Because we share the philosophy that Columbus is open to all, we are always taking risks, always thinking big, and always open to new ideas.
OK that's some pretty weak text, it sounds very high school graduation, pollyannish. The buzz-words are very tired. Go out on a limb? hardly, always taking risks? do we live in the same town?
From Why Columbus (an admission of inferiority?)
| Get the Video Plugins |
the third speaker comes right out and addresses our gayness
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