Quick, when you think of Howard County you think of ____________________? Choose Civility? High median income suburb? Like most suburban communities Howard County has a problem with defining itself as more than a bedroom community. When Columbia was first being developed the Rouse Company advertised Columbia as "The New America." Why are cities and states better at having an identity? Remember Kurt Schmoke's Baltimore theme of "Baltimore Reads?" Austin's great theme is "Keep Austin Weird." "Maryland is for crabs", "Virginia is for lovers", Missouri is the "Show Me State." Any good marketing campaign has to have a focused theme that gives the product its identity. For a community it can clearly identify where it wants to put its energy to improve.
What would you suggest as Howard County's marketing theme? Here's some examples but I encourage you to come up with some more.
"Greenest community in America"
"Celebrating diversity"
"Where green meets hi-tech"
"America's most livable community"
Columbia was referred to as "the Next America", implying "How can we make a better city."
ReplyDeleteIdentity: has to do with people, diversity, housing, the environment, the future, Open Space etc.
"Howard County, MD, experience the best of
American life (or Maryland life).