Posted on 10/17/2002 1:21:55 PM PDT by InvisibleChurch
No good words for state's new slogan
by Joe Battenfeld Thursday, October 17, 2002
Spurning hundreds of free public suggestions for a new state slogan, tourism officials have settled on an idea created by their $300,000 advertising firm - but it's already getting panned.
The new slogan - ``Massachusetts . . . Make it Yours'' - was unveiled this week to a group of less-than-impressed tourism leaders, who say they were hoping for an exciting new catchphrase to help revitalize the state's slumping hospitality industry.
``I was a little disappointed we couldn't have picked one that came from the (public),'' said Sheila Martines Pina, chair of the Regional Tourism Councils. ``I was surprised it came from the state advertising agency.''
The state's Office of Travel and Tourism held a heavily hyped contest this summer, asking the public to submit ideas for a ``concise and memorable'' slogan to help draw tourists to the Bay State.
Lured by a promised reward of a free weekend vacation to the winning contestants, more than 400 people sent e-mail responses to a special Web site set up to handle the contest.
Among the ideas were a number with patriotic themes, including ``Massachusetts: Where Freedom Begins,'' and others, such as, ``Mass. Is Magic'' and ``Come Share the Common Wealth.''
But officials apparently were not satisfied with any of them.
Swift administration sources say Paul J. Sacco, the new director of Travel and Tourism, decided to go with the ``Make it Yours'' slogan created by the agency's ad firm, CGN Marketing and Creative Services.
The Travel and Tourism office unveiled the slogan to local tourism officials this week, but the reaction was lukewarm, sources said.
Tourism leaders said the new slogan is especially important because of the devastating impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
``There's general disappointment. The consensus is that with the industry in crisis, you had to be a little more creative,'' an administration source said. ``A lot of people were looking forward to a new campaign to ramp up business.''
Sacco is on vacation and could not be reached for comment. His spokesperson also could not be reached.
A few months ago, Sacco touted the slogan contest as a huge success.
``We're getting tons of ideas,'' Socco told the Herald at the time, ``And it's nice to see people are into it.''
Officials are describing the new slogan as a ``composite'' of ideas submitted by the public, but Pina said state tourism officials acknowledged that CGN came up with the phrase ``Make it Yours.'' CGN is paid a $300,000 retainer by the Travel and Tourism office.
``They did tell us it was suggested by the advertising agency,'' she said.
A spokesman for acting Gov. Jane M. Swift said yesterday she is not aware of the new slogan. Sacco told tourism leaders this week that Swift was expected to unveil the phrase in the next few weeks.
Massachusetts has gone through a series of slogans over the past several decades, and ``this one doesn't have any bite either,'' an administration source said.
The last slogan, ``The Spirit of Massachusetts is the Spirit of America,'' was used in ads, T-shirts and brochures in the 1990s, and was generally popular with the tourism industry. But state officials rejected it as too wordy.
Pina said hotel, restaurant and travel owners were looking for a slogan that can catch fire with the public, similar to the ``I Love New York'' and ``Virginia is for Lovers'' themes used in ad campaigns for those states.
She said she's also concerned that the state may be wasting money on the new ``Make it Yours'' slogan, considering that there will be a new governor in January. It's even unclear whether Swift will approve of the new catchphrase.
``I would hate to see us sink money in a slogan that either Shannon O'Brien or Mitt Romney wouldn't sign onto,'' Pina said.
"Massachusetts...Up yours!"
Catchy, huh?
Massachusetts...It's Kenne-delicious
"Land of 10,000 Fists"
Congressman Billybob
Not, "Come, and we'll share your wealth"
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