Guest MINDSETTER™ Nancy Thomas: Discover Beautiful Rhode Island

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Guest MINDSETTER™ Nancy Thomas

 

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"Discover Beautiful Rhode Island" We proclaim it on large welcome signs and have a version of it on our “wave” license plates.  That slogan was a few years in the making with a committee charged to do so.  It is less than 2 years old.  The signs, alone, cost over $750,000. Recognizing tourism as a major economic and ‘moving forward’ initiative for Rhode Island, there is about to be a statewide tourism campaign funded for $5 million.  The campaign has been asked to include development of a new logo and slogan to tie together our hopes and dreams for bringing tourism into the greater mix of our collective future.

As a native Rhode Islander who loves our state, I’ve been talking about what a new tourism campaign might look like for many months, if not years. The many tourism groups that exist from the Blackstone Valley to Newport, all with a piece of state funds to add to their local funds, each conduct their own campaigns presently, use their own slogans and promote their own tourist stops and events. They buy their own advertising out of state, too.  Some of these agencies have dozens of employees.  Yet, as reflective in many ways of what happens in RI, they operate in silos. Little or no coordination or sharing of resources.  And a good deal of competition with each other, and with the statewide initiative, too.

The biggest part of tourism promotion is, and will be, a major focus on Providence and Newport.  But this new tourism focus is also said to include the coordination of all the individual tourism group efforts – at least the part of what they do that receives state funds. That, in itself, is a big plus, and one that will have fits and starts to fruition, as agencies deal with potential staff cuts, silos and competition.

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Among PR professionals, it’s fairly agreed upon that the $5 million is chump change for a big statewide, national tourism campaign.  So – how best to spend it? Here’s some thoughts. First, leave the slogan alone.  With any PR campaign or marketing effort, agencies love to pick the low hanging fruit – that of designing a new logo and slogan.  Especially if you need to print everything new and engage graphic designers to implement the new look – from posters to advertisements to baseball caps.  Were this tourism ‘charge’ so easy! Ad agencies just love doing this…but it’s not what will bring them in.  Clients love to ask for it, too, but often when you get involved with what their perceived problem is, nine times out of ten it has nothing to do with a logo or slogan.

So, to best maximize our efforts, let’s agree that “Discover Beautiful Rhode Island” is familiar, accurate, and simply does the trick.  It’s been suggested that we might add some mini tag lines such as… “at Slater Mill” or “…on our beaches!” or “…at Waterfire.” OK, we can do that, too.

Even our license plate is fine – on reprints, maybe deepen the blue of the wave a bit, but otherwise, let’s not spend a dime or a moment more of valuable creative brain power thinking about it.

What should we spend our time on? The deeper dive. Back to basics. First, advocating for fixing roads and walkways, sweeping the streets, and cutting the roadside brush. Also becoming a voice for safety and security, especially in our downtown Providence area. Recruiting people! Great people who effervesce about RI. I think about how Providence College has a group of oriented students who wear white jackets – called PC Friars.  Need information?  Ask a Friar.  We need some good ambassadors for our beautiful state, and what better group than some RI native interns from our local colleges.

We need to coordinate as much as possible with all the tourism departments still sprinkled around our state, along with the large venues – the hotels with big tourism promotion dollars. And PPAC and Trinity and the Blackstone Valley events and Waterfire.  And the Convention Center, etc.  Are we rowing our tourists ashore with one strong voice?

We need to segment our audiences.  Who are the people we want to attract?  The regional folks for local events. The international crew for extended vacations.  The segmented groups – college students’ families from out of state – they come here several times a year from all around the country – those who come for specialized conventions – comic con, dog shows, gymnastics & karate competitions, food events…more.  Target and reach out.  And once they are here let’s welcome them warmly – make them feel special and give them something to take home with them that will bring others here, too.   

There’s so much more that can be done beyond graphic design and advertising purchase – so let’s hope the campaign is a far-reaching one and one that the state sees as just one component of a multi-pronged effort to skillfully promote our state. Obviously these ideas are only a beginning.  I look forward to see what the new plans are when the RFP is awarded.

Let’s row together on our “Dragon Boat” and hopefully this tourism grant will serve as an effective coxswain – “Hands up!” It’s time to… “Discover Beautiful Rhode Island."  Together.

Nancy Thomas, a lifelong Rhode Islander, is the president of Tapestry Communications.  She runs a Facebook page – Discover Beautiful Rhode Island - to promote activities, events and special places in Rhode Island.  Here is the link: All are encouraged to post and share.

 

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