Cleveland PLUS (Columbus, Cincinnati, Akron: home, school, college)

[Clevelander17]

Has the Cleveland PLUS campaign been a success? Or are the critics right in saying that it places too much emphasis on the City of Cleveland, and not the region as a whole?!

[TheProf]

^Really? I thought the point of the program is to emphasize Cleveland + the metro area. Look at their website, materials. There's a bunch of stuff about, for example, Coventry (Cleveland Hts), Cedar Point (Sandusky), and the Pro Football HOF (Canton). I think the plus sign also symbolizes the Chamber of Commerces new slogan/nickname: Positively Cleveland.

[CityGrrl77]

I think it includes Akron and Youngstown as well (not just the Cleveland area). I can find out

[TheYO]

Originally Posted by CityGrrl77

I think it includes Akron and Youngstown as well (not just the Cleveland area). I can find out

It does include Akron and Youngstown along with Canton and all of the more rural counties and communities in NE Ohio

[Clevelander17]

I'm trying to find some of the blog posts I read a few weeks back about the Cleveland PLUS branding and why it could have used a different name, at the very least. The gist of it was that placing so much emphasis on Cleveland, and so little on the other cities in the region, shows a lot of arrogance, presumption, and short-sightedness. As a person living in the region who identifies most closely with Cleveland, I was ecstatic at the original branding idea. But my opinion has changed recently. I don't see why someone from Canton or Youngstown would want to necessarily jump on board. I think their first thought about the branding campaign would be alienation.

Anyways, just playing devil's advocate. I'll try to find the blog entries.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by TheYO

It does include Akron and Youngstown along with Canton and all of the more rural counties and communities in NE Ohio

Ooooh, good to have a Youngstown resident check in on this thread. Do you think a lot of your fellow residents are on board with the branding? Do you see the "CLE+" stickers when you drive around town? I feel like there are split allegiances in Youngstown and almost as many folks there identify with Pittsburgh as they do with Cleveland.

[TheYO]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

Ooooh, good to have a Youngstown resident check in on this thread. Do you think a lot of your fellow residents are on board with the branding? Do you see the "CLE+" stickers when you drive around town? I feel like there are split allegiances in Youngstown and almost as many folks there identify with Pittsburgh as they do with Cleveland.

I've only seen a couple CLE+ stickers around town. I'm in school now down in Athens, but I have my sticker waiting for me back home to put on my car. To be honest, I don't think many Youngstown residents are even aware of the Cleveland+ project and are more focused on Youngstown 2010 (the city's own rebranding project).

You are definitely right about the split allegiance in the city. It really seems like it's split about 50-50 between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. I feel the divide really hurts everyone because of the "rivalry" created between the cities. People who identify with Pittsburgh seem to label Cleveland as a ghetto and refuse to acknowledge the similarities between the cities. At the same time Cleveland supporters label Pittsburgh as a rundown white trash city with nothing to offer.

I sometimes fall into this trap since I spend far more time in Cleveland than Pittsburgh. Both cities have unique attractions and face similar struggles and I hope my fellow Youngstowners can realize this and show some support for both areas.

But back on the Cleveland+ subject, I understand the reasoning behind using Cleveland as the namesake since it is the largest city in the region with the most business and attractions. I just feel that outside the area Cleveland has a negative connotation, something I realized when I started college. Columbus and Cincinnati residents still think of Cleveland as the "mistake on the lake" rather than the diverse city that it is. I think the campaign should focus less on Cleveland and more on the region as a whole. Maybe incorporating Northeast Ohio or NEO into the campaign will make it more attractive to outsiders, as well as appeasing Akron, Canton, Youngstown and the surrounding areas.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by TheYO

I've only seen a couple CLE+ stickers around town. I'm in school now down in Athens, but I have my sticker waiting for me back home to put on my car. To be honest, I don't think many Youngstown residents are even aware of the Cleveland+ project and are more focused on Youngstown 2010 (the city's own rebranding project).

You are definitely right about the split allegiance in the city. It really seems like it's split about 50-50 between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. I feel the divide really hurts everyone because of the "rivalry" created between the cities. People who identify with Pittsburgh seem to label Cleveland as a ghetto and refuse to acknowledge the similarities between the cities. At the same time Cleveland supporters label Pittsburgh as a rundown white trash city with nothing to offer.

I sometimes fall into this trap since I spend far more time in Cleveland than Pittsburgh. Both cities have unique attractions and face similar struggles and I hope my fellow Youngstowners can realize this and show some support for both areas.

But back on the Cleveland+ subject, I understand the reasoning behind using Cleveland as the namesake since it is the largest city in the region with the most business and attractions. I just feel that outside the area Cleveland has a negative connotation, something I realized when I started college. Columbus and Cincinnati residents still think of Cleveland as the "mistake on the lake" rather than the diverse city that it is. I think the campaign should focus less on Cleveland and more on the region as a whole. Maybe incorporating Northeast Ohio or NEO into the campaign will make it more attractive to outsiders, as well as appeasing Akron, Canton, Youngstown and the surrounding areas.

I don't know about most people from Columbus, a lot of the people from there were supportive of Cleveland/Cleveland sports. However Cincinnatians and Pittsburghers are a different story. Most people in Cincinnati are born with a "Cleveland complex." I don't know if it's inferiority or what, but a lot of them seem to have developed a deep hatred for Cleveland from their childhood. People from Pittsburgh have a "Steelers complex." Everything about Pittsburgh has to with the Steelers. They can't seem to get past that, even as it relates to non-sports situations that deal with other cities, like Cleveland.

This is unfortunate because if Ohio and the Great Lakes region is going to get out of this funk, all of these cities are going to have to work together. And Youngstown is in prime geographic position to be right in the middle of all of that.