Shifting the nation’s perception of New Orleans as a drowned city of Third World proportions remains in the forefront of new Gulf South marketing, advertising experts said Dec. 7 at a chapter meeting of the American Marketing Association. “(Marketing to tourists) is going to take a grassroots effort to combat the negative publicity,” said Mark Mayer, president of Peter A. Mayer Advertising of New Orleans. Although Mayer is optimistic about the city’s future, combating the damaged brand of New Orleans is key in the short term, he said. “Tourism is alive and well (in New Orleans),” said Zehnder Communications President...