Legislators commend state’s ad campaign
Commerce officials may ask for additional funding for project
Topeka ? Kansas’ $1.7 million image campaign got off to a rocky start, but several lawmakers Tuesday said they liked it and told economic and tourism officials not to be discouraged by criticism.
“You all should be proud,” Sen. David Wysong, R-Mission Hills, said.
Earlier this month, the image campaign was mistakenly released to the media days before the official unveiling.
Combined with the premature release was the fact some criticized the campaign’s anchoring slogan: “Kansas: As big as you think” and the $1.7 million price tag.
But in testimony to the Senate Commerce Committee, several economic development officials, who were involved in the campaign’s development, defended it.
They said it was easily adaptable to both local and statewide efforts to enhance tourism, economic development and workforce training, and it also makes Kansans feel good about where they live.
“It’s really four messages for the price of one,” said Cindy Cash, president of the Kansas City Kansas Area Chamber of Commerce.
Television ads that have been running statewide tell the stories of two famous Kansans, President Eisenhower and aviatrix Amelia Earhart, and how their home state helped shape their dreams.
It’s a message aimed at instilling pride in Kansas, said Mickey Fornero, director of economic development efforts in Harvey County.
“A lot of us have inferiority complexes about our own state,” she said. Print and radio ads also have been launched. The campaign has been developed by Callahan Creek, a Lawrence advertising agency.
Wysong, who has worked in advertising, said the image campaign was solid work and that those behind it shouldn’t get defensive.
