In 2014, Positively Cleveland rolled out their new travel and tourism campaign and Cleveland branding. They caused some controversy by announcing beforehand they were phasing out “Cleveland Rocks.” Also, many weren’t happy they were using a Kansas City agency to develop the campaign. So, many of us were a bit more primed to see what would be replacing it. Here are my takes on some of the key elements from the event and new Cleveland branding.
Cleveland Branding Launch Event
Positively Cleveland did an incredible job of building up their new campaign and how it came together. This included their thought process, their research, and the excitement they were building. The video below capped off the event. I like the rebellious tone that talks to how Cleveland is what we are…not what people want or think we should be. No apologies. We made our own way. Proudly.
This Is Cleveland Video
I came away from the event feeling a lot of pride for the city of Cleveland. They showed a great mix of images from all aspects of the city. The audio included music from a local band, Welshly Arms, with a narrative explaining who we are.
I purposely waited a week or so to go back and watch the video again. I wanted to watch it after the initial excitement wore off to see if it still resonated as well. To be honest, some parts do and some don’t. The song sets the right mood with a touch of attitude. But, the words telling our story get a little distracting. They take away from some of the images, but the actual ads are shorter and more concise.
There are some great images of almost everything you can think of to do in Cleveland. Although, the casinos and Superman were absent. There were also few references to the Cleveland Browns which was odd. They plastered images of the Rock Hall and music throughout, so the rock theme is still strong. But, no House of Blues included. I get those are in many cities, but you’d think you tie it in to help reinforce the music scene.
They show a lot of food, museums, scenery…most of which you can find in any city. We recognize what they are and why they stand out to us. But, I’m not sure someone outside of Cleveland will understand why they’re special. It still instilled a sense of Cleveland pride that I hope translates to potential visitors.
This Is Cleveland Tagline
This to me is the biggest miss for the new Cleveland branding. It’s way too generic for what they built up. It doesn’t fit with the “we do things our way” theme. Any city anywhere can use “This is _____”. It doesn’t feel special or unique. I understand that its simple and adaptable, but it’s also easy fodder for those already mocking Cleveland. Many criticized Positively Cleveland for not using a local ad agency to develop the concept (although Ad Com will be executing much of the campaign), and this tag line does nothing to temper those feelings. At least they could have personalized it more by having it be “We are Cleveland”…but even that would fall a bit flat.
Cleveland Rocks
I can’t not at least mention my thoughts on moving away from “Cleveland Rocks”. I’ve always liked the slogan because it’s adaptable to any of our great features. It doesn’t only have to be about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The biggest reason I like it is because the Rock Hall is the most unique part of our city. Every city can claim great food, museums, nightlife, etc. But, there are few great music destinations and there’s only ONE Rock Hall.
Their research found that it doesn’t resonate with the Millennials they are targeting which I can understand. They still capture the strong rock vibe of Cleveland, so I can live with moving on to something new. But, to the person that said, “if you have to say you rock, you probably don’t”, we didn’t say it. Ian Hunter did. We adopted it, and rightfully so. And besides, he’s probably the same guy that yells at you to sit down at a concert or football game…
Overall Take
Even with the nitpicking above, I do like the direction and thought process. I’m hoping they’re paying attention to the feedback and work some of it into the actual ad campaigns. It has the right attitude for Cleveland and gives tourists a sense of who we are. It makes me proud to be from Cleveland and excited to welcome all who want to visit our great city!
I’m curious about your thoughts on the Cleveland branding. Do you like it? Love it? Hate it? What would you do differently? Comment below and share this blog with your friends! As always, thanks for reading!