Did the taxpayers in the US state of Nevada seriously just spend $9 million on six words?
Undoubtedly, when someone hears these magical six words, a long-lost genetic code will be activated in the listener’s brain that will cause them to unconsciously go online and book a flight to Las Vegas.
Are you ready to hear these words?
“A world within. A state apart.”
Destination marketing is about creating a crisp, clear image in a traveler’s mind, and then getting them to visit the destination based upon that image.
The problem with this $9 million dollar slogan, apart from the unorthodox wording, is that it does not leave a lasting image of Nevada’s primary tourism attraction: gambling.
The State of Nevada’s official slogan is ‘The Silver State.’
The slogan stems from Nevada’s massive silver production during the height of America’s Civil War in 1864.
Silver dollars being produced from Virginia City’s Comstock Lode were helping to fuel The Union’s war effort.
The economic benefit, plus President Abraham Lincoln’s need for a few extra favorable votes, prompted legislation that granted Nevada statehood.
To better market Nevada as a destination, the state should promote its history and gambling by placing the color silver front and center.
The image travelers should have in their minds is of a destination where the streets are paved in silver and there is the possibility of tremendous wealth should they visit.
However, for the moment, the Nevadans who depend upon tourism for their livelihood, must be content with uninspiring slogans and advertisements that do little to separate the state from its western counterparts (Visit Oklahoma vs Visit Nevada). Here’s hoping the next $9 million dollars will be better spent.
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