In other blogs: Metrovindication
A very few of you either like or don’t mind the idea of the previously-mocked-in-this-blog “Metronatural” brand for Seattle tourism. The rest of us really, really don’t like it. At all. The fine folks over at Strategic Name Development, a firm whose very existence is all about naming things really, really don’t like it either and aren’t afraid to say so in their own blog [#] which includes links to still more blogs (including this one) where the general consensus of the ad campaign is: “$200K for THIS?”
Here’s the rub: even those who are quite eloquent in describing why they dislike this campaign so much don’t seem to have better ideas. I find it inconceivable that with all the smart people in Seattle that there’s no one with a better idea for “branding” Seattle for tourism so I’m calling you on, dear readers: how would you brand Seattle?
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No branding suggestions, but I did want to say ‘Hey, it’s better than Say WA?!??!?’ =)
Actually…. as I sit here thinking of all the possible serious answers to the question and realizing, in the end, that maybe this is the best ‘Just Seattle’
Picture a commercial with standard people on the street interviews all saying different things ‘The coffee!’ ‘The Music’ ‘The arts’ ‘The technology’ ‘The farmer’s markets’ blah blah blah blah just going faster and faster until you hit a point where you say ‘… all of that. It’s Just Seattle.’
Eh. Ok, it isn’t great, but… Better than metronatural.
John, that’s not a bad campaign. Or how about we have your interviews as described and end with the tagline: “Seattle: It’s ALL here.”
Or we could just not have a slogan. I mean, who is persuaded to come to a city by its catchy slogans?
You’d be amazed at the tourist dollars generated by the I You’d be amazed at the tourist dollars generated by the I
The difference: people say “I love New York!” all the time. Without prompting. That slogan captures and amplifies a sentiment they already have.
Nobody that wasn’t paid $200,000 to come up with a slogan looks around Seattle and says, “Metronatural!”
The primary reason that “metronatural” is a crappy slogan is that it’s completely, totally, and obviously inauthentic. It reeks of marketers. No matter how much its creators argue to the contrary, it captures exactly none of the appeal or flavor of Seattle.