Selling the city without a slogan
William Pate has decided to move beyond a question that has gone without a good answer for decades: How should Atlanta brand itself?
William Pate
As CEO of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Pate knows that despite several attempts, no marketing campaign for the city has captured the imagination for many years. The last attempt, “Every day is an opening day,” may have been DOA. (For the record, former Mayor William Hartsfield popularized the phrase, “the city too busy to hate,” which was not a marketing campaign.)
So Pate, who has been in the marketing game for 27 years, has turned a traditional approach on its head. Instead of figuring out the overarching theme or slogan first, he’s leaving that for last as he tries to generate tourism dollars in a rough economy. One stat: Visitation for the $11 billion hospitality industry was 35.4 million in 2008 – down from 38 million in 2006, the latest figures show.
To try to turn that around, Pate, 49, has been focusing on two other parts of selling the city since taking the helm of ACVB a year ago. The first is to promote the attractions, hotels, shopping and dining. The second is to work with those businesses, so they offer discount packages with others.
“Momentum drives markets,” Pate said. “You’ve got to build momentum by constantly barraging people with new news.”
But what’s new to one group is not to another. For example, some meeting planners – key people in this business – know about the recent upgrades to the Centennial Olympic Park area, such as the fish tank and Coke museum.
Other meeting planners, however, have not visited the city for years. So the ACVB has to bring that group up to date. At the same time, it has to focus on upcoming attractions with the former group, including the College Football Hall of Fame and the Center for Human and Civil Rights.
That same education has to be done with out-of-town families discussing where to take their next vacation.
In all cases, Pate faces three hurdles. First, people instantly know what they’re getting when you mention Orlando, Las Vegas or New Orleans. That’s less true for Atlanta.
Second, even if Atlanta had a slogan, Pate would need a good bit more money than he currently has to promote it like it should be. He knows $2.9 million – the cost of just one 30-second Super Bowl commercial – is not enough to market Atlanta on an annual basis.
“We continue to look for additional revenue sources,” he said.
Finally, Atlanta does need a branding campaign. It’s not optional. “Cities that brand now will stand out,” Tim Calkins of Northwestern University told AJC reporter Leon Stafford.
Pate says surveys repeatedly show that visitors are impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of the people here. So Southern hospitality does exist, despite all the transplants, including me.
“Ultimately, we will find that stake in the ground,” Pate said. “It will take some time.”
I hope not too long. To speed the process, if you have a good idea that captures Pate’s friendliness theme, please post it below. Since the pros haven’t come up with the right prose yet, maybe you can.
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139 comments Add your comment
Darren
February 9th, 2010
10:59 am
To Negative City, I agree with you.
The reason NY was able to get it together is that everyone was on the same page. Here, you can’t even get everyone on the same transit system. Atlanta is not only disconnected in its “cities”…it’s also disconnected in its thinking.
You have the ACVB, the Atlanta Chamber and Central Atlanta Progress…does the right hand know what the left hand is doing?
MediaMoxxie
February 9th, 2010
11:05 am
I still believe that Atlanta has a lot to offer…it’s just that its too hard to maneuver from place to place.
I think the intown communities (i.e., Buckhead, Midtown, VaHi, etc.) should have their own “Intown Convention & Visitors Bureau” – ICVB, that way more tourist and event planners would be aware of ALL the wonderful happenings metro-Atlanta has to offer.
negative city
February 9th, 2010
11:10 am
Step one, let MARTA use its money provided exclusively by the consumers of DeKalb and Fulton counties however they see fit, don’t require 50% of their money NOT provided by the state to go to capital projects when they have an operating gap, am I dumb or is that business 101? The State should require Gwinnett and Cobb to allow MARTA in or they will lose some sort of funding in another area. This is just wishful thinking of course because first the state would have to support MARTA.
May I ask what the Georgia Republican party’s fear of mass transit is about? I just don’t get it, have they ever been to another city? Do they see the traffic? ( which let me just say while bad is over rated, have you seen the traffic in some much smaller cities? Knoxville, Nashville and Orlando come to mind.)
Ryan Hiott
February 9th, 2010
11:11 am
As is the case when promoting ANYTHING, identify your strenghts, then accentuate them. I was born and raised in Atlanta in 1967 and have lived here for 36 of my 42 years. As indicated previously, Atlanta’s strengths are, in order, the southern hospitality (especially evident if you travel to metropolitan areas in the Northeast), the climate (why would anyone live north of the mason-dixon line with their long, frigid winters), the topography (beautiful rolling hills, lakes, parks, golf courses, etc.), the cost of living as it relates to quality of life, and, it’s widely considered the financial and cultural capital of the south.
I agree my the masses that a strong re-branding effort be made. I travel quite often with business and find myself constantly defending this beautiful city because of peoples misconceptions. Sure we have room for improvement, but I could debate Atlanta against any city in the nation and win. The first consideration I (and many others) look at when deciding where to live is climate, cost of loving and quality of life. Atlanta shines brightly in these three areas and that should be our point of emhasis.
negative city
February 9th, 2010
11:14 am
But as the good ole boys move out and new blood moves into the capital it will change. To those of us chained to subdivision hell for 18 years this is our New York, we are proud southerners and this is OUR big city. I for one wanted the city life but chose to make the big city in MY region a world class one not move up North and give them my tax money. FYI to all the transplants who complain first of all you are here not there so explain that choice, second, Philly, Chicago, NYC they all were big cities nearing the millions in the 1860’s when the little rail road hub of Atlanta was burned to the ground, give us some time what we have accomplished as a region and a city in 170+ years shadows over your region in the same time frame.
Cheryl
February 9th, 2010
11:15 am
MediaMoxxie – love the ICVB idea.
Negative City — I agree with you — so simple its scary.
MediaMoxxie
February 9th, 2010
11:18 am
Great point, Ryan.
negative city
February 9th, 2010
11:19 am
The ACVB is just for intown, in fact Cobb and Gwinnett have their own CVB’s and businesses in those areas rarely join the ACVB, in fact they have trouble getting Sandy Springs/Dunwoody businesses to join it is open to everyone but mostly exclusive to Midtown/Downtown/Buckhead and East Atlanta areas
Arlene
February 9th, 2010
11:21 am
This is one of the most positive post/comment boards I have seen on the AJC in a long time. Good job folks!
MediaMoxxie
February 9th, 2010
11:24 am
Thanks for clarifying that, Negative City. Therein lies another problem.
I can understand all the “CVB’s” wanting to promote their own territory, however, in times like these ALL CVB’s need to come together in a united force to re-brand and sell this city.
iRun
February 9th, 2010
11:31 am
I hope someone is monitoring this blog. There is a very strong theme here – that Atlanta is waaaaaaay more than downtown (which is often maligned as big box and soulless and…well, maybe it is a little).
Atlanta is a city with a lot of natural beauty, a welcoming outdoors, good food, friendly people, and gracious historic neighborhoods. I’ve never lived somewhere until Atlanta where you could spend 10/12 months of the year outside because it simply call you to come out and play.
negative city
February 9th, 2010
11:33 am
Let’s not forget what the city would look like right now if not for the economy. This year we are getting the Lowe’s hotel but it would have been joined by Streets of Buckhead, Town Brookhaven, The Intercontinental at Peachtree and 17th, The Mandarian, there would have been another office tower at 12th and Midtown, The condo across from the Fox, Museum Tower, Trump Towers, we were on the verge of competing with any big city in this country we just got blind sided by the economy. We just have to be sure that the intown neighborhoods come back first and strong and these projects or different ones get completed to make Peachtree a walkable tourist destination. The streetcar HAS to get done it’d be the only for tourists downtown to get to any part of Buckhead other than Lenox, Buckhead Village for example, there should also be a spur line over to Atlantic Station…connectivity should be the main mission for this city
MediaMoxxie
February 9th, 2010
11:35 am
iRun & Negative City – great post!
negative city
February 9th, 2010
11:36 am
The problem is the other CVB’s and leadership of their respective counties don’t want to work with Atlanta and they are dead set on the notion that their communities prosperity had noting to do with Atlanta and its new fangled worlds busiest airport and that international corporations like NCR and Cisco would have made their headquarters there regardless.
Darren
February 9th, 2010
11:41 am
Negative City you are dead on. I could never understand how the surrounding counties don’t get that if Atlanta fails, so do they. Metro-communities are only as strong as its core…in this case, the core is Atlanta.
Now we have poor Mr. Pate trying to sell this city with no support from surrounding communities, good luck with that.
Grace
February 9th, 2010
11:44 am
A few options:
The City of Endless Opportunities
The parking lot of the South
Atlanta…unique in so many ways
iRun
February 9th, 2010
11:50 am
Atlanta – Come out and play! (Cue scenes of people hiking Stone Mountain, cycling through Ansley Park, jogging on PATH, playing a round at Candler Park, brunching outdoors in Buckhead, roaming the art festival in Piedmont Park)
Arlene
February 9th, 2010
11:55 am
I am all for Atlanta re-branding itself. While I am grateful that Atlanta will host “Wrestlemania” and that the Leggo & Pirate Museum will be coming soon…I still would like to see more high-level activity.
In the past year, Marriott, Hilton, Intel & Boeing have all relocated their headquarters to DC. Microsoft is scouting the Charlotte area for a new plant facility…Phoenix made the short list to host the 2012 GOP Convention…
Atlanta used to be on the radar for these type of activities…I wish Mr. Pate & the Atlanta Chamber luck in restablishing Atlanta as a contender.
Cheryl
February 9th, 2010
11:58 am
Great post Grace & iRun.
I think Atlanta should have three marketing campaigns, one for Atlanta residents, one for tourism and one to attract/retain business.
Ron
February 9th, 2010
11:59 am
Negative City – I want to point out that some of these “good ole boys” that you seem to want to replace with “new blood” are from the class that – built Buckhead, built the High, sponsored the ASO, sponsored the Atlanta Opera, saved the Fox, built Underground, resurrected Mid-Town, built Atlantic Station, built Emory, built Ga. Tech, built Ga. State, founded CNN, founded TBS, brought the Braves to Atlanta, created the Falcons franchise, sponsored the Dogwood Festival, sponsored the Arts festival, built Peachtree Center, sponsored MARTA, supported Zoo Atlanta, created Diet Coke, made Coca-Cola an international brand and product, founded Chik-fil-la, founded Delta Airlines, supported MLK, supported the SCLC, made Atlanta the city to busy to hate, created the Atlanta Hawks franchise, built the Omni, built Philips arena, built the Ga. Dome, brought the Super Bowl to Atlanta, brought the other sports venues and playoffs to Atlanta, built the World of Coca-Cola, built the Georgia Aquarium, won the Grand Slam of Golf bringing honor to himself and the city, restored Eastlake, restored Grant Park, restored VaHi, restored Little 5, brought the Olympics to Atlanta and have made Atlanta an international city. And, they did this while you were chained in hell in the burbs.
Richard
February 9th, 2010
12:00 pm
ATL- Attractive, Thoughtful and Lovely people live here
Cheryl
February 9th, 2010
12:07 pm
And once Mr. Pate gets the ball rolling in turns of attracting individuals, conventions, etc. to the city — Atlanta needs to piggyback on this and create a campaign to turn our “visitors” into “residents” & “corporate relocations”…
“Welcome To Atlanta, where we like to make our guest feel right at home…(can’t you see yourself living here?)
“Welcome To Atlanta…we like to make our guest feel right at home and we’d love for you to stay…”
Michelle
February 9th, 2010
12:10 pm
I am loving this board! Go, team ihorizon, iRun, MediaMoxxie & Cheryl!
Darren
February 9th, 2010
12:11 pm
Ron, the good ole’ boys you are talking about are not the same network keeping this city separate — and you know that.
Cheryl
February 9th, 2010
12:12 pm
I like that slogan, Richard…very smooth.
iRun
February 9th, 2010
12:16 pm
ATL – A Taste of Life!
OK, a little corny…
iRun
February 9th, 2010
12:19 pm
Actually, I don’t like my suggestion at all, upon further reflection.
Atlanta isn’t a taste of life…it’s a buffet of it.
MediaMoxxie
February 9th, 2010
12:24 pm
Another area of Atlanta that does not get the promotion it should is the “Westside” — some really great restaurants, shops, etc.
joe alexander
February 9th, 2010
12:48 pm
my idea for an atlanta motto is… Atlanta: sweet tea, dogwood trees & y’all.
I don’t have an e-mail address – am using my sisters…
Ryan Hiott
February 9th, 2010
12:52 pm
adding to my earlier post, a major rebranding effort is needed to dispell Atlanta as a city of thugs, rappers and crime. The majority of metropolitan Atlanta is a GREAT place to start and raise a family. For all you nay-sayers, please state your case as to how any other major metropolitan area compares to atlanta in the three most important criteria for determining a place to reside; climate, cost of living, quality of life.
With my business, I had the opportunity to live in San Diego for three years and, while the weather can not be beat, the cost of living is outrageous, property taxes are through the roof, and the population is kinda self-absorbed. Not rude like Philly, Boston, NYC, etc., just not as engaged and friendly as people in the south.
The only legitamate drawback I hear from people around the country is the lack of waterfront. Are there options available to work with the Corps of Engineers to create more lakes near the city like they’ve done with Lanier and Allatoona? I visit San Antonio regularly on business and the Riverwalk district is virtually entirely man-made and could conceivably be constructed near the city center.
Please make your argument
Ron
February 9th, 2010
1:02 pm
Ryan – I like your enthusiasm but I must point out that San Antonio is built on the banks of the San Antonio River. Much of what you experience on Riverwalk is the result of WPA and CCC work done in the depression to control flooding. The cafes, boutiques, hotels and such got their boost from Hemis-Fare (the worlds fair) that San Antonio hosted in 1968. I love San Antonio, visit there usually once a year, wish Atlanta had something comparable but unless we move Atlanta out to the banks of the Chattahoochee it ain’t going to happen.
Grace
February 9th, 2010
1:16 pm
All wonderful thoughts Cheryl
Ryan Hiott
February 9th, 2010
1:34 pm
Ron, thanks for the input as I am not a city planner and I’m not suggesting naturally occuring waterways… however, I do know waterfronts were designed by re-routing water from Lake Michigan to create the canals Chicagoans enjoy…there are a nuber of projects like that across the country…and, the driest place on earth, Las Vegas has the largest working fountain in the US (outside the Bellagio) and the indoor/outdoor canals (and shops) at the Venetian are top shelf.
Not looking to be contentious, but I refuse to believe that, with this city’s resourcefulness, some type of community water feature could not be created…
Grace
February 9th, 2010
1:53 pm
As Cheryl said, it is hard to find a tagline that works for the people of the city, economic development and tourism…but here are a couple more thoughts
Adventure every day around every corner
Warm and welcoming like a Georgia summer
Happening year round
Southern fun for everyone
Fast pace southern charm
The perfect place to play and stay
MediaMoxxie
February 9th, 2010
1:58 pm
Those are cool, Grace…
Cheryl
February 9th, 2010
2:00 pm
I like those, Grace — especially, “The Perfect Place To Play and Stay”
frankly
February 9th, 2010
2:08 pm
negative city – I’m right there with you brother! I’ve posted something similar not long ago. Its up to us to fix things or I really believe we risk becoming the Birmingham of this century. Letting racial enmity guide our decisions will only get us left behind while the rest of the south and country prospers.
Cheryl
February 9th, 2010
2:17 pm
I am really enjoying all the great ideas on this board — it shows that Atlantans truly care about their own city.
The negative issues that need to be addressed are “crime” and making Atlanta a more “walkable” and “transit” friendly city.
John R. Naugle
February 9th, 2010
2:19 pm
Dear Mr. Pate and ACVB Team,
Our nonprofit, Atlanta: City of Peace, Inc. (ACP) is very inspired by your work which greatly supports the City of Atlanta. We too aspire to serve Atlanta’s phenomenal future. We believe that millions and hundreds of millions of people worldwide already look at Atlanta as a city of peace; primarily because this is the birthplace of Dr. King and the civil rights movement. Will you please assist us to FORMALIZE Atlanta as a global capital and city of peace? Our organization’s success can certainly ARRIVE in a new partnership with ACVB (proposal and invitation).
Currently, at best, our city is now known nationally as ‘capital of the South’ (which is not too shabby when the south is 10+ states large). However, our city’s best possibility is to become known internationally as, Atlanta: City of Peace… A Global Capital of Peace Cultivation, Education and Inspiration. Yes, it is true that our city’s circumstances and crime statistics tell us we are NOT a city of peace. Yet what city on Earth does not have its challenges? ACP ignores circumstances because WE HAVE A DREAM just like Dr. King! Our GREAT possibility proclaims a bright future ahead. Currently, at best, our state is now known nationally as ‘the peach state.’ However, our state’s best possibility is to become known globally as “Georgia: The Peace State.”
Sadly, in Atlanta, there is an old quote, more than 2,000 years-old, which rings true here. It is found in the most published book of human history: “Prophets are always honored, except in their hometown.” In my opinion, the City of Atlanta has failed in securing its best brand-identity and most ideal slogan because it’s unwilling to collectively honor one of Earth’s most respected peacemakers; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Peacemakers worldwide recently raised $120 million for the design and development of the MLK Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. On another note, even Steven Spielberg recently announced his interest in producing an epic film on KING which is destined to win multiple Academy Awards (note: Gandhi-the-movie was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won 8). Do we honor KING in Atlanta? A couple of years ago, citizens here completely forgot about Dr. King when the world’s busiest airport was renamed for another former mayor (honorable as he was). The bottom-line? We committed a tragic injustice to Dr. King’s legacy, and as he once stated: “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Will we, collectively, right-the-wrong and rally to find other HUGE ways to honor Dr. King to build our city’s global peace legacy? Atlanta’s true destiny is becoming a global capital of peace.
FACT: The City of Atlanta is the best-positioned city on Earth to reap a phenomenal windfall of economic and societal reward with the newly defined “Peace through Tourism” Industry. We have even invited Louis D’Amore and the International Institute for Peace-Through-Tourism (IIPT) to relocate here (IIPT.org). Atlanta is poised for a New Millennium building-boom that will influence the entire metropolitan area of the city and eventually inspire hundreds of millions of siblings from our global family. Atlanta has the world’s biggest airline (Delta) AND the world’s busiest airport (~100 million annual passengers). Both have greatly assisted in Atlanta’s formative years, but greater possibilities and opportunities for transformation are around-the-corner! YOU and all are invited to assist us to connect and partner with them; ASAP is good for us. We have fast budding plans to help Atlanta’s airport become “The World’s First Commercial Spaceport For Peace!” Peacemakers worldwide will support the goal of claiming Space-for-Peace from Dr. King’s birthplace and there are 800+ peace related organization connected with the UN International Decade for a Culture of Peace (Years 2000-2010) who can assist. Millions of peacemakers from around the Earth will also support our Atlantis-To-Atlanta project. ACP dreams that NASA’s Space-Shuttle Atlantis will retire and be on view in Atlanta’s future Global Peace Museum (ACVB’s influence/direction needed).
FACT: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born here and is one of Earth’s most respected and accomplished Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. Dr. King is also the most globally productive peace-movement protégé of Gandhi: Man of the Millennium (Years 1000-2000). As Atlanta develops its greatest (yet still-undeveloped) asset: “The Gandhi-King Global Peace Connection” it will discover its true destiny. Dr. King reminds us still today: “we ignore Gandhi at our own risk.” ACP invites YOU (plus every Peacemaker from everywhere on Earth) to become an “ACP-Official Founder.” Please help us in co-creating our major projects to formalize Atlanta as a global capital of peace. These are: The Global Peace Academy, The Global Peace Concert, The Global Peace Flight, The Global Peace Garden, The Global Peace Museum, The Global Peace Tower, and The Global Peace Walk.
As you look at our mother-site and sub-sites you will see we are grassroots and still lacking professionals knowledgeable in brand development, web-design, marketing, project management, public relations and fundraising, etc. However, just as MILLIONS worldwide dream of a healthier global family because Dr. King first proclaimed: “I Have A Dream”… we too DREAM big!
Mr. Pate, ACVB Team, plus other interested peacemakers of the virtual world… Atlanta is the birthplace of Dr. King and also where our 1000-year project was authored and/or born. Let’s join our Atlanta service goals and creative talents to engage our global family to support: The Peace Millennium (Years 2000-3000). Year 2010 is the final year in the very first decade of the Peace Millennium, therefore IF we can join together to “Carpe Millennium” then the major precedents and accomplishments we collectively achieve now can conceivably inspire globally and for generations to come! For this new 1000-year era before us we aspire to popularize a new quote from Dr. King’s birthplace: “Prophets are always honored, especially in their hometowns!”
In closing, we invite connection and collaboration with you and ALL;
the sooner the better: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ATLpeace (or 770-572-0588).
Cindy S
February 9th, 2010
2:26 pm
Atlanta: Still Burnin’
AlexisB
February 9th, 2010
2:35 pm
Atlanta has become a “victim” of its own “hype”…
AlexisB
February 9th, 2010
2:37 pm
Mr. Naugle, while I appreciate free speech, you could have just posted a summary of your thoughts and “mailed” the letter to Mr. Pate.
Cindy S
February 9th, 2010
2:57 pm
Atlanta: More than a little South.
Atlanta: Totally hot, very cool
Cindy S
February 9th, 2010
3:33 pm
Atlanta: Where you can make your own history
blazerdawg
February 9th, 2010
3:42 pm
Cindy S – you are totally hot and cool!
Cheryl
February 9th, 2010
4:05 pm
Love ‘em, Cindy!
Leslie
February 9th, 2010
4:06 pm
Atlanta: Where YOU make it happen…
WhereISmarta?
February 9th, 2010
4:11 pm
To add to my last post, here is another theme or a slogan we can use;
“Atlanta, a great place to live. A great place to visit. We have it all. You just can’t experience it or see it. You can’t get there or anywhere. Bc tourist, you have no cars and we have no transit system to get you there. Locals, there is a ton of traffic and we can’t relieve it bc we don’t have a transit system.” That should be Atlanta’s slogan.
Leslie
February 9th, 2010
4:12 pm
LOL!!
MediaMoxxie
February 9th, 2010
4:15 pm
Atlanta: Come get it, if you can…(because we have no way to get it to you)…