Given the plentiful supply of cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages, states are working very hard to position themselves as attractive destination spots for prospective visitors.
Some states are very easy for potential tourists to identify with. For example people tend to think of lobster and lighthouses with Maine, maple syrup and cows with Vermont and ocean and sunshine with Florida. Other states, including Kansas, North Dakota, and Ohio are not so fortunate.
States are hiring branding consultants to identify their essence which can then be conveyed in a catchy slogan, sharp logo, and memorable ditty. Given how much pressure states face with multi-billion dollar budget gaps, double digit unemployment and oil on the beaches and in the water, branding is more important than ever.
A state crisis often is an excellent reason to develop a new brand. Florida has changed its brand emphasis, at least for the time being, from sharing a little sunshine to allaying concerns about oil on its beaches and water.
Some of the most popular branding strategies have been Virginia is for Lovers, I Love New York, and What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.
Michigan has been very successful with an ad campaign called Pure Michigan. The intent is to replace images of gutted cities and shuttered factories in the minds of potential visitors with visions of vineyards, lighthouses, waterfalls, sand dunes, and the countries longest fresh water coastline.
The state commissioned a survey which credited the Pure Michigan national broadcast ads with attracting 681,000 additional tourists from outside the state in 2009. These visitors spent $250 million, generating $17.5 million in additional taxes, which translated into a return of over $2 per national ad dollar spent.
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