CHEYENNE - You know it’s summer travel time season when you find big magazine ads from state tourism organizations.
The latest edition of Smithsonian Magazine has a double page ad from Illinois and a single page layout from Nebraska, our neighbor to the east.
The Illinois ad is traditional with the slogan, “The middle of everything.”
A previous slogan was “Are you up for adventure,” and “Mile after magnificent mile.”
The new ad touts the City of Chicago’s charms offering “discovery and excitement” from tours of its botanic gardens, museums and sun-kissed days on 28 miles of lakefront.
The latter includes world class entertainment from live music, Michelin Star dining and “breathtaking” architecture.
A bit overblown but effective. The ad doesn’t mention the crowds and lines wherever you go. No tourism ad ever does. That is not their purpose.
The City of Chicago, which I always loved, is an easy sell for folks in the tourism business..
You have to remember that the people who dream up these ads are very smart and, more importantly, creative.
They are the type of experts who developed the slogan for tiny Rhode Island —“Fun-sized.”
That dose of wacky humor is what makes this type of ad or slogan stand out.
That is why you have these delightful ads from the Nebraska tourism people.
Having precious little to brag about in a state that is long, flat and brown mostly, the Nebraska crew decided self- mockery was the key.
“Nebraska is not for everyone,” has been the state slogan. The ads then go on to maintain that the state has attractions that may appeal only to a portion of the population.
That type of ad is an attention-grabber.
Instead of bragging about the stunning natural beauties of Nebraska, it admits the state’s scenic shortcomings in a humorous way.
Nebraska’s ad in the Smithsonian Magazine is in the same self-deprecating vein
“Lucky for you there’s nothing to do here,” It begins. The ad then goes on to explain that Nebraska people create their own fun.
One fun thing was deciding that a livestock tank can float and could be a “boat.” The result is a float trip down a Nebraska River.
The ad is accompanies by a picture of groups happy young people sitting in a floating livestock tank in a river. “It might not be everybody’s cup of tea,” the ad continues.
It certainly is not for me.
But the Nebraska ad writers, whoever they are, worked well with the material available.
Nebraska has more miles of river than most states, making it the perfect destination for a float trip.
Thus, Nebraska has become known for its unique way of floating, called “tanking.”
Wyoming, meanwhile, is blessed with two national parks, gorgeous mountains, and a globally known major rodeo in Cheyenne.
But some states are not as fortunate.
Missouri is the state most frequently omitted from a test list of U.S. states, according to internet sources
Alaska has the lowest number of tourists.
Idaho is a beautiful state that has been overshadowed by states to the east, like Wyoming, Colorado and Montana. According to an online article in Business Insider, Idaho tourists can expect reasonably priced rentals and other accommodations.
“Famous potatoes,” is Idaho’s slogan. That was an easy one.
Nevada is a state with Las Vegas, of course, but also other attractions like Red Rock Canyon in the Mojave Desert.
“A world within. A state apart,” is Nevada’s state slogan. I don’t know what that means.
For that matter, I am not too sure what Wyoming’s slogan, That’s WY” means either.
I liked the old one, “Like No Place on Earth.”
Then there was another catchy idea that was proposed but not adopted.
It read “Welcome to Wyoming. Now go back home.”
Contact Joan Barron at 307-632-2534 or jmbarron@bresnan.net
