Time for a brand new brand

David Sneed //January 8, 2013//

Time for a brand new brand

David Sneed //January 8, 2013//

Our meanderingly named governor has convened a panel to rebrand Colorado. We should do the same for Denver since the current: Denver, Would you like to rent a bike? isn’t cutting it. At least it beats last year’s Denver: It’s better than Cleveland!

As a good American (the kind that answers a question I haven’t been asked), I’d like to make a suggestion to this probably thoughtful committee.

I read a marketing book once that said to find words or expressions that have multiple meanings. In that vein, I nominate Colorado: Strike Out! There’s a certain kind of beauty in having one pithy expression that describes our baseball team, highway etiquette, downtown singles bars and the proximity of wilderness exploration. 

A couple of more freebies:

  • Denver: Spread Out
  • Colorado: Higher

You’re right, they’re too ambiguous. We need marketing that talks more to the specifics of the Mile High City. What about: Denver, Now with regular crosswalks? Or: Denver: We have an IKEA?

Hey, they’re just ideas, okay? We’re spitballing here – whatever that means.

Those of us who live here know how good we have it, but we need to educate the Coasters. How about this one: Colorado, It’s warmer than you think! Or, Colorado, Just left of the middle!  That last one will be a hit with geographers and very soft Republicans.

Or one of these:

  • Leave Early
  • You’ll need a car
  • Everyone has a dog
  • You’ll have to wait for breakfast

Does no one remember how to cook eggs? We have something like three restaurants per person, but there’s still a wait on Sunday morning. How can that be? A lot of you must be eating twice, if my math is correct.

The rebranding task force may take a different route, one that speaks to the intangibles of Colorado. I think that may be the way to go. How about:

  • Hippie-free since ‘73
  • We’re gonna’ have a spaceport
  • After NY and LA, but before Wichita
  • Now with TWO horses

I know, those are a little misleading and/or mean. We still have hippies, but at least most of the trees are gone. Colorado: Do you like beetles?

And for those of you punctuation nerds counting, one more colon will set a world record for CPA (colons per article).

Colorado is a regular nest for entrepreneurs, so maybe we should have a slogan that shouts that from the mountain. What about something like Colorado: Let us sell you something? Or maybe Colorado: Don’t be a Gaylord.

I don’t know where to go with this, but we really should think about our future tourist-bringing-in since the skiing may not be around forever – and Lord knows we won’t get them here with our beaches or Titanic tie-ins.

Our future depends on some good ideas so I’d like to ask for your help. Please use the comments to submit your idea on a marketing slogan for either Denver or the state itself. Or, if you know of any other cities in Colorado, feel free to include them as well. Like that one…is it out West maybe…Grand something? It’s on the way to Moab.

Happy New Year!