Connecticut will develop a new brand strategy to market itself to tourists, conventions, businesses and a sophisticated workforce.
After two years of doing nothing under the administration of Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the state is re-entering the tourism marketing arena, hoping to make up for lost time.
On July 1, the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, a division of the Department of Economic and Community Development, received $15 million from the state budget to promote Connecticut to visitors and would-be employers and employees. The commission will receive another $15 million in 2012, up from the single dollar the Rell administration allocated in 2009 and 2010.
“It was foolish, and now we are getting back in the game,” said Christopher Bergstrom, who was named the commission’s executive director in March by Gov. Dannel Malloy. “As a consequence of the lack of promotion of Connecticut, our state has underperformed compared to both the region and the nation overall.”
During the economic doldrums of 2009 and 2010, Bergstrom said tourism in Connecticut should have increased as the 20 million people living within a gas tank of the state chose ‘staycations’ in the area vs. more expensive, luxurious destinations.
Instead, the Connecticut tourism industry suffered as tourism marketing was slashed; tourism personnel were banned from traveling to trade shows and events; and payments were stopped to regional tourism promoter Discover New England, causing the organization to officially de-list Connecticut as a New England state.
Under the Malloy administration, the travel ban for state employees to travel to key marketing events has been lifted and the payments to Discover New England have been brought up to date.
But the biggest part of the latest push came after the tourism commission received the $15 million for tourism promotion.
Bergstrom said the commission put out a request for proposals for a firm or team of firms to develop a Connecticut branding strategy over many components including Web, social media and in-person. This marketing team will research Connecticut’s strengths and the desired markets.
The state’s new brand and tourism campaign strategy will roll out in the spring.
A fundamental component of the campaign will give potential visitors stories about Connecticut. Whenever traveling, people are ultimately experiencing a story and convey it to their friends, who in turn want to experience a similar story, Bergstrom said. The key is to use real people to give their stories and have them relate their message in the new campaign.
“We want to engage Connecticut residents as brand evangelists who tell their story to their friends,” Bergstrom said.
The new brand will be designed to engage more than tourists and conventions. The idea is to create an all-encompassing brand for Connecticut that gets people excited about the state.
“We want it to work for talent recruitment and business recruitment as well,” Bergstrom said.
Just like “I Love New York” or “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” the Connecticut brand must be unique to the personality of the state. It can’t be too slick and should be a little self-deprecating, so people feel its authenticity, Bergstrom said.
“The fundamental thing we are selling is a story, and the story has an experience to it,” Bergstrom said.
