State tourism leaders discuss branding, hope more ‘Make it Here’
HARTFORD — In a season of political turmoil, it is time to market Connecticut as an oasis of stability and inclusion.
That’s a pitch newly confirmed economic development chief Daniel O’Keefe made at a state tourism event on Wednesday in Hartford. “If you’re an observer of the United States, particularly international, a lot of stuff looks a little chaotic,” O’Keefe said, citing his conversations with businesses looking to relocate. “That’s starting to matter to folks when they’re thinking about where to move … they want predictability and stability. They want an environment where their employees feel comfortable and want to be.”
Gov. Ned Lamont, who also spoke at the ConnCon tourism event at the Bushnell, said that Connecticut’s politics are among its attractions.
“People love the state for a lot of reasons. I think our values resonate with a lot of folks as well. So I think that’s absolutely true, everything from diversity and inclusion to the fact that Republicans and Democrats seem to be able to work together,” Lamont said. “It’s a nice story.”
Connecticut’s marketing already sends a message of stability and inclusion, Connecticut Office of Tourism Chief Marketing
Officer Anthony Anthony said. Earlier at the event, he announced that state boosters would consolidate their efforts around the slogan “Make it Here.”
“I think ‘Make It Here’ is a very subtle way of telling the story, that this is a welcoming place, one of the most welcoming in the nation,” Anthony said. Connecticut was the first state to join the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association and promotes openness to a diversity of travelers, he added.
“We’re one of the only states because we do see ourselves as a welcoming state and people of all backgrounds,” Anthony said.
Could the state potentially market its policies on hot-button issues like reproductive rights?
“I don’t think we’re ever gonna go put up a billboard that says, ‘Make it here because you have reproductive rights,’” Anthony said. “But I think as a general message, people can interpret it as this is a place for you.”
“Make it Here” debuted last fall to bring together positive messaging around the state’s manufacturing base, quality of life, and tourist attractions. The tagline will now replace the tourism office’s earlier slogan, “Find Your Vibe,” which had bumped the widely derided “Still Revolutionary” in 2022.“Anthony said everybody’s found their vibe,” Lamont said to some laughs at ConnCon. The event brought together representatives from many tourism businesses and state agencies working to promote Connecticut attractions.
TV spots featuring promoting the state with the “Make It Here” tagline have aired during UConn basketball games in past weeks and will be central to a renewed $1.86 million ad campaign to run through Labor Day.
The “Make It Here” ads will also appear on screens during JetBlue flights, along highways, and in New York and Boston media markets.
“We all need to be singing from the same sheet of music, marching to the beat of the same drum,” Anthony said of tourism efforts. The state’s tourism office is adding staff and is asking for its budget to be boosted to $6 million, with efforts focused on the single slogan across agencies and tourism groups.
“That is going to be how we amplify our message far and wide,” Anthony said.