Begging "them" To Like Us {my Houston Campaign}

[memebag]

Here's my slogan:

"Houston: It's On Planet Earth."

We play up the breathable atmosphere, the 1G gravity, the proximity to the rest of the planet, etc. We attract people with perspective, people who know a good planet when they see it and aren't too picky.

[crunchtastic]

Here's my slogan:

"Houston: It's On Planet Earth."

We play up the breathable atmosphere, the 1G gravity, the proximity to the rest of the planet, etc. We attract people with perspective, people who know a good planet when they see it and aren't too picky.

And temperate, too!

[ricco67]

"Houston: At least we don't have to shovel humidity off our sidewalks."

[Vertigo58]

All of you must see the short film of Houston they show visitors at the City hall rotunda. Some of you may have already seen. It's filmed quite well cinematography wise but the words that come out of these "supposed celebs/people of Houston" will make you......throw a shoe at the screen maybe?

I guess you have to promote in some way but don't over do it. The music is like John Williams orchestra and you just have just got to pack your bags NOW! and come to Houston, forget Paris and Cayman Island's this is where you need to be! We have it all! Yippee! (fireworks, everyone smiling)

[TJones]

How about:

"Houston: Yes, this city IS better than where you are from."

[MiDTOWNeR]

Maybe, but it's not the "worst thing" Houston has to deal in regards to it's image. Cities boast size all the time.

For Houston though, it's the size that partly contributes to locals thinking there is something special about this place.

[lockmat]

For Houston though, it's the size that partly contributes to locals thinking there is something special about this place.

I think that's a true statement.

[sevfiv]

USA Today just picked this up, too:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destination...-campaign_N.htm

[Gary]

For Houston though, it's the size that partly contributes to locals thinking there is something special about this place.

I wouldn't dissagree with that, but in a wierd way maybe it does. I for one do not like the cities sprawl, especially west as it's encroaching in a lot of ways on my property in Belleville. However I can also see one taking at least a little pride in it's sprawl and development. It's somewhat fascinating to me as well.

[editor]

Building upon some previous ideas:

• Houston: It's better than where you're from.
  
• Houston: Come for the humidity. Stay for the roaches.
  
• Houston: We don't have to shovel humidity
  
• Houston, Texas, U.S.A., Earth
  
• Houston: We have a solution
  
• Size matters. Welcome to Houston, the biggest city in Texas.
  

[Gary]

Building upon some previous ideas:

• Size matters. Welcome to Houston, the biggest city in Texas.
  

Ok that's good.

[713 To 214]

USA Today just picked this up, too:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destination...-campaign_N.htm

Yeah, and did you read the two comments? Not Good, at all;

[Trae]

Yeah, and did you read the two comments? Not Good, at all;

You have been even more negative since the Cowboys loss.

[lockmat]

Yeah, and did you read the two comments? Not Good, at all;

Good thing not everyone in this world is an outdoor enthusiast like the first commenter and every other person who likes to diss Houston for it's flat topogrophy. Too bad houston has 5+ million people who hate where they live. The numbers sure show it's a horrible place to live just as the haters say.

[TheNiche]

Good thing not everyone in this world is an outdoor enthusiast

Considering that very few cities are actually destinations for outdoors recreation in and of themselves, we're actually at a pretty good cross-roads. Coast and marshes (ridiculously good for birders) to the south and east, lush evergreen pine forests and several freshwater lakes to the north and northeast, hills to the west, northwest, and north, and land inexpensive enough for a pretty typical household to buy and retire on or use for recreation, if one is so inclined.

All things considered, if a sprawling post-war city were going to be built in Texas, Houston's location is a pretty damned good one. Development only encroaches on the fringes of the forest and we're far enough away from the water that most of our barrier islands remain minimally developed (as compared to the endless stretches of ugly coastal development in Florida and up the east coast). For the most part, we turn otherwise ugly flat prairie into ugly tract housing and really good restaurants which are affordable to a great number of people. In that context, Houston is a frickin' paradise.

[memebag]

For the most part, we turn otherwise ugly flat prairie into ugly tract housing and really good restaurants which are affordable to a great number of people.

There's our slogan:

"Houston. We eat prarie and poop restaurants."

[RedScare]

And, for all of us that are NOT Lance Armstrong, Houston's flat topography is wonderful for the cycling enthusiast.

[KinkaidAlum]

We can try all we want, but we will NEVER be a major tourist destination. I wish the Convention Bureau would hang it up and stick with what makes Houston so special. Here's my idea;

Houston: It works!

Simple. To the point. It can take on any meaning you want it to but it gets the word out there that this city is built upon working hard. There's no shame in that. Let Vegas, Orlando, Nawlins, and San Antonio play up the festive atmosphere.

[jfre81]

Houston. If You Don't Like it, Stick It.

Houston. Because Loop 610 is endless fun.

Houston. Come Tame The Wild Bacteria Bayou.

What happens in Houston, stays in The Woodlands.

Dallas Sucks. (Houston's original slogan)

Houston. ROFLMAO

I Left My Heart In Houston, And Crackheads Salvaged My Pacemaker.

Houston. Concrete Heaven.

Houston. Thousands Of Katrina Evacuees And Illegal Immigrants Can't Be Wrong.

[lockmat]

Houston. If You Don't Like it, Stick It.

What happens in Houston, stays in The Woodlands.

Dallas Sucks. (Houston's original slogan)

I Left My Heart In Houston, And Crackheads Salvaged My Pacemaker.

Houston. Thousands Of Katrina Evacuees And Illegal Immigrants Can't Be Wrong.

Those were awesome, especially these.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Houston. If You Don't Like it, Stick It.

Houston. Because Loop 610 is endless fun.

Houston. Come Tame The Wild Bacteria Bayou.

What happens in Houston, stays in The Woodlands.

Dallas Sucks. (Houston's original slogan)

Houston. ROFLMAO

I Left My Heart In Houston, And Crackheads Salvaged My Pacemaker.

Houston. Concrete Heaven.

Houston. Thousands Of Katrina Evacuees And Illegal Immigrants Can't Be Wrong.

There you go. Have a little fun at your own expense. The problem is that people have spent the last 100 years or so letting people on either coast dictate to them what to think, what to like, etc. I don't expect anyone to change that anytime soon.

BTW, not that I'm into civic slogans and whatnot but I do like, "Houston: it works."

Ho hum...

[713 To 214]

Houston. ROFLMAO

My favorite!

[C2H]

After reading the comments at the bottom of the article, Houston can not shake off that word. UGLY. I can't see why peolpe are always using the word ugly to describe Houston. Is it anymore ugly than NYC, Chicago, Miami, or LA, or any big city? I don't think so.

[MidtownCoog]

Houston: Teardowns and Townhomes

[Mister X]

You have been even more negative since the Cowboys loss.

Houston's booming, people like it. That guy you were addressing hates Houston and doesn't have anything to be happy about at all these days because so many things are going good now in this city. He only shows up to point out the negatives. I think it's his job or something. Hanging around a city that you don't like makes no sense to me, but hey it's a free country. People are free to be miserable if they want. Poor slob. It's got to be a jealousy thing. Why else is this guy so obsessed with the negative aspects of this city while NEVER acknowledging any of the positives. No one ever said Houston was paradise, and all the negative comments in the world aren't going to make the humidity go away, make the city more like New York, or make the people stop coming here and enjoying their lives. But we all know what's going on already. That boy just pops in to stir the poo. ...Like that last brilliant piece of "critical thinking" he wrote.

Houston doesn't need a campaign. It sells itself. All the past campaigns haven't make any significant impact, yet the people keep coming anyway, buildings keep going up, more nice hotels are being built, and with cool mixed-use projects like Regent Square, BLVD Place, West Ave, and the River Oaks District (to name a few) the future looks pretty bright. Houston is already the highest business tourist destination in the state. So what's the point in selling a city that doesn't need selling.

But if we just HAVE to have one, I think a good campaign would be something like...

"Houston: We didn't lift a finger, and you came anyway"

Oooh sexy!

[UrbaNerd]

How about:

Be. Houston.

Nice and simple.

[Mister X]

After reading the comments at the bottom of the article, Houston can not shake off that word. UGLY. I can't see why peolpe are always using the word ugly to describe Houston. Is it anymore ugly than NYC, Chicago, Miami, or LA, or any big city? I don't think so.

Why WOULD anyone go out of their way to say that? To selflessly warn strangers of impending eyesores in the name of spreading joy to the masses? NO, it was written by someone with a personal agenda or grudge. Most likely because they are jealous of people who live in cities with nice affordable houses who are able to save a little money. And who don't have to shovel snow. And who live in cities with booming economies with cool new construction going on everywhere. And who live in cities that stay green all year long. Take your pick. There are probably hundreds of reasons why someone would be jealous of people who are lucky enough to live in Houston.

People who are happy about where they live USUALLY don't take the time to trash another city, without provocation or just for the hell of it. They would be out enjoying wherever they are, completely unaware or totally disinterested in someplace they feel is inferior or don't like for some reason.

If Houston was truly uglier than the cities where all the newcomers came from, the population wouldn't be growing as rapidily as it is. If it were a REAL issue, everyone would turn around and go back where they came from. But obviously, it can't be that much of a deterrent. I think Houston could look better in many places than it does now, but I wouldn't put any stock in a couple of crackpot comments at the bottom of an online USA Today article. Ugly perception or not, it doesn't really change the quality of life that most of us enjoy ...the one's who aren't bogged down with a lot of personal issues...anyway.

[lockmat]

Houston is already the highest business tourist destination in the state. So what's the point in selling a city that doesn't need selling.

What's that mean?

[Mister X]

What's that mean?

I was refering to this article from Forbes

http://www.forbestraveler.com/best-lists/m...es-slide-9.html

I may not have said that right, maybe I should have said.... According to Forbes, Houston is the most vistited city in Texas. It came in at number 9 on a Forbes list of the 30 most visited cities. Dallas came in at number 10.

Maybe not a GREAT number, but concidering that these promotional campaigns don't seem to make much difference, it's still pretty good.

There was a thread about it here

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=12167

I believe that the general consensus was that Houston ranked as high as it did due to business travelers. Although no one ever proved it in that discussion. That list was compiled from raw numbers. But anyway, that's why I said Houston is already the highest business tourist destination in the state. It's not really a proven fact or anything, just something that made sense to me after reading this discussion.

[houstonmacbro]

Because it's not located on one of the two major coasts, not an old traditional city that reminds people of Europe or wherever, and as a result gets snubbed by the "really cool" people, who know what's in and what's not. The really cool kids almost always know how to make the others feel left out and insecure, so the others (and Houston has its kin in this regard) spend time and money trying to get the really cool kids to, just for once, say its cool, too.

It's the dog chasing its tail.

There was a movement a few years back to call Galveston and Texas' Gulf Coast 'The 3rd Coast' but it never really went anywhere.