City of Atlanta ends funding for Brand Atlanta campaign (sales, 2011)

[Atlantasfinest]

City ends funding for Brand Atlanta campaign | ajc.com

The theme song maybe was too much for people but as a frequent flyer in and out of the Atlanta airport on a weekly basis I liked the signage of the campaign inside of the Airport showing the various Atlanta Highlights, Tourists Attractions, People and Exhibits and Museums going on in the City.

I think a concerted marketing effort is still needed to continue branding Atlanta with it's image. Should be interesting to see what direction they take with that...

[LovinDecatur]

Good riddance. Why the city gets involved in boondoggles like this is beyond me.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by Atlantasfinest

City ends funding for Brand Atlanta campaign | ajc.com

The theme song maybe was too much for people but as a frequent flyer in and out of the Atlanta airport on a weekly basis I liked the signage of the campaign inside of the Airport showing the various Atlanta Highlights, Tourists Attractions, People and Exhibits and Museums going on in the City.

I think a concerted marketing effort is still needed to continue branding Atlanta with it's image. Should be interesting to see what direction they take with that...

The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau should be responsible for those things.

[DeaconJ]

I have yet to understand why we don't use Henry Grady's quote as the slogan for Atlanta...

"...and from the ashes, we have created a brave and beautiful city."

It's classic and it evokes the image of an event that most people are familiar with...the burning of Atlanta, and it's rise to prominence against the odds.

[Atlantasfinest]

I saw this post from someone from another blog regarding the Brand Atlanta Campaign:

Clearly the 3 year old tagline is not so unforgettable. It has received over 2 million media impressions in just the past 5 days alone. Why does the media continue to dredge up old news? Not every tactic of a 5 year branding strategy is going to be a home run. People have to focus on the results of the entire effort and the return on investment. Brand Atlanta did have some measurable results that resulted in increased, incremental visitor spending.

Brand Atlanta saw the needle start to move in measures commonly used by the hospitality industry. Atlanta as a city saw an increase in its share in the top 25 U.S. travel markets, from 5.8 percent in 2004 to 6.0 percent by 2006, during the period that coincided with a massive citywide resident ambassador effort and ad campaign. The goal was 6.8 percent by 2011. This is when the lion’s share of marketing dollars were spent on recruiting residents to become personal ambassadors for the city and influence their friends and relatives to visit.

The result, for which Brand Atlanta can and should take some credit, Atlanta saw significant growth of 10.7 percent in overnight tourists and leisure visitors in 2006, representing an increase of 1.4 million tourists who spent more than $100 per day, on average, at area restaurants, museums, shops, and hotels. Here’s where the public and private funding contributors, got their return on investment.

Lastly, the city rose from 18th place to 12th place in a ranking of top meeting destinations, according to a national annual survey of meeting planners.

The current Brand Atlanta campaign, Treasures Fit for Kings, is doing extremely well. Tickets sales have surpassed projections. Here’s the website Atlanta - Treasures Fit for Kings.

[Hotlantan]

The best thing the city can do right now to improve its image is to take all that money being wasted on silly things like branding and use it to combat crime and clean up the streets and public commons! Crime is out of control, and this is probably the one basic thing that needs to change about Atlanta before our reputation will improve one whit (in the eyes of both visitors AND residents)! They definitely need to do something about the traffic problem (another major thorn in Atlanta's side) by investing in more public transit. They'd also do well to put some money into public works projects like street repaving (aren't YOU sick of all those d%$# potholes and metal plates that put wear and tear on YOUR car every day? I know I am! I'm tired of drinking and bathing in dirty, disgusting tapwater too, come to think of it).

Until the city seriously addresses the major issues that keep people (both visitors and residents) grumbling, Atlanta's reputation will continue to suffer. No amount of "branding", advertising, or promotion will cover up the fundamental problems this city faces. As they say, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by Hotlantan

(aren't YOU sick of all those d%$# potholes and metal plates that put wear and tear on YOUR car every day? I know I am! .

You don't remember the 'Pothole Posse'? That was a campaign in and of itself, just call the 'Pothole Posse's' number and they'll come fix your pothole in 48 hours.

[crux]

Now Open - the Equitable Building.
Buy it today at a reduced rate.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

I have yet to understand why we don't use Henry Grady's quote as the slogan for Atlanta...

"...and from the ashes, we have created a brave and beautiful city."

It's classic and it evokes the image of an event that most people are familiar with...the burning of Atlanta, and it's rise to prominence against the odds.

That's a beautiful, poetic quote and totally perfect! Why isn't that the city slogan? I can't imagine a better way to define Atlanta.