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Is the keep Louisville Weird campaign effective?

Yes
17
34%
No
13
26%
Unsure
9
18%
What's wrong with being weird?
11
22%
 
Total votes : 50
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Mark R.

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Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Mark R. » Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:00 am

After seeing the latest posting by Krista in our ongoing discussion of servers in Louisville I started thinking about the keep Louisville Weird campaign. What is everyone's feeling here regarding its effectiveness in bring additional visitors to Louisville, especially to the restaurant industry?

I personally don't think Weird is the correct way to promote Louisville and the way it's being done is definitely not effective. The ads themselves certainly wouldn't encourage me are any one I know to come to Louisville and actually would probably discourage us. I think part of the problem is the word Weird, it definitely doesn't give you a welcoming positive impression. Of course, don't even get me started on the fact that all of the television advertising is only being broadcast in Louisville!

Do those of you who work in the industry thing the campaign is being effective in getting people to visit Louisville? If not what should we be promoting Louisville as? A southern classic? The heartland of food? ? ?
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Roger A. Baylor

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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Roger A. Baylor » Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:49 am

I like the word, the slogan, and the meaning it conveys. That's one discussion, and probably turns on a more through examination of demographic stats than I'm aware exists in the public domain. Another discussion is whether "weird" is being marketed in optimum fashion.

In short: A youthful taget audience probably doesn't care about a Southern strategy, and also probably "gets' weirdness in the implied context. An older demographic probably finds "weird" confusing. I'm seeing a lot more of this stratification in the craft beer target audience than I thought was the case, and am murking my way through it at present.

Just my two cents.
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Digital Editor at Food & Dining Magazine
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Alison Hanover

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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Alison Hanover » Sun Oct 25, 2009 11:33 am

Roger A. Baylor wrote:I like the word, the slogan, and the meaning it conveys. That's one discussion, and probably turns on a more through examination of demographic stats than I'm aware exists in the public domain. Another discussion is whether "weird" is being marketed in optimum fashion.

In short: A youthful taget audience probably doesn't care about a Southern strategy, and also probably "gets' weirdness in the implied context. An older demographic probably finds "weird" confusing. I'm seeing a lot more of this stratification in the craft beer target audience than I thought was the case, and am murking my way through it at present.

Just my two cents.

Ok I have just asked my 17 year old son and his girlfriend what the word weird means to them. They say that it means odd or strange, which is what it means to me. So, based on that, no I don't think it is a good advertising slogan for Louisville.
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Paul Mick

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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Paul Mick » Sun Oct 25, 2009 11:48 am

Yes, the denotation of "weird" is definitely odd or strange, but the campaign is dealing with connotation.

In our increasingly homogenized and whitewashed world, the rhetorical jump required to equate "weird" with "unique" and "independent" is not a great one. Most people, even the older ones, that I talk to "get it" either instantaneously or after a single sentence of explanation. (My parents fall into the latter group.)

As for only airing the ads in Louisville, I was always under the impression that the goal of the campaign wasn't to foster tourism but to encourage residents to patronize independent business over their chain counterparts. I believe that it has adequately accomplished this aim by simply providing slogan and name recognition for independent businesses to help them compete with the name recognition already inherent in chains.

Also, the shirts are pretty cool... :D
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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Mark Head » Sun Oct 25, 2009 1:04 pm

"Weird" is an old term that I equate with tie-dye, bongs, and the Grateful Dead. It comes off sounding tired and goofy to me - so I'd rate it ineffectual. The "Buy Local" slogans make more sense.

And this is coming from an old hippy musician type.
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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Kyle L » Sun Oct 25, 2009 1:25 pm

People seem to forget when you take a slogan too far it becomes more than a cause; it becomes an image. It's a double-edged sword. How does one Keep Louisville Weird while market it at the same time? You don't want the meaning to be lost, however, you still need support from more people.

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Robin Garr

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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Robin Garr » Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:09 pm

It might be worth remembering that we stole the "Keep _____ Weird" concept from Austin. :)

Personally, I think the Possibility City ads are pretty darn funny, but I'm sure it is indeed a two-edged sword and might put some people off.

Personally, I would HATE the idea of seeing us marketed as a "Southern" city. For a lot of us who grew up in the urban area, there's only a touch of the South about this place. We have a much more complicated - and interesting - cultural heritage mix.
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Becky M

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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Becky M » Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:20 pm

Robin Garr wrote:It might be worth remembering that we stole the "Keep _____ Weird" concept from Austin. :)


i thought about mentioning that, but thought i would be pummeled.... :? :? :?
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Roger A. Baylor

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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Roger A. Baylor » Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:20 pm

Robin Garr wrote:Personally, I would HATE the idea of seeing us marketed as a "Southern" city. For a lot of us who grew up in the urban area, there's only a touch of the South about this place. We have a much more complicated - and interesting - cultural heritage mix.


Ditto!!
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Digital Editor at Food & Dining Magazine
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Matthew D

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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Matthew D » Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:30 pm

I don't really have feelings on the campaign one way or another, other then saying I think it's lame that we had to borrow it from another city. I guess that's why I've never gotten into it, because I've known it was borrowed from the start.

As for the word weird, it's a word I like - to a point. Organic weirdness is one thing, performative weirdness is another thing. The complicated culture heritage that Robin speaks to is a good weird.

FWIW, I had the pleasure of having dinner with an independent movie director 2 weeks ago and then participated in a symposium and dinner reception with eight visiting scholars yesterday. Each and every person had great things to say about Louisville, all along the lines of "it's a much more interesting city than I expected." The director dined at Mayan Cafe while the scholars had dinner Friday at Red Pepper. They could have done worse!

I'd be more in favor of "Keep Louisville Interesting."
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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Sondra P » Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:33 pm

I think the website explains the mission of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance really well.

http://www.keeplouisvilleweird.com/

As a member of LIBA, I saw a lot of new faces last holiday season directly because of the the passport promotion. I think LIBA helps to promote my business well and I don't mind being called weird at all (or Southern for that matter).
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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by GaryF » Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:46 pm

For what it's worth, when I moved here and saw the Keep Louisville Weird slogan I was intrigued and amused as I managed to figure out the concept on my own in no time at all. It seemed, and still seems, to me to be a cute, off-beat way to celebrate our town's creative enery. I didn't know until seconds ago that it was borrowed from Austin, but I don't feel that bothered by the fact.
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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Kurt R. » Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:51 pm

One post got it right and that is that "weird" is that we don't want to be a me too city full of Big Box concepts like Walmart and McDonalds.
The Weird one's also feel that Keeping Louisville Weird has evolved hence the Buy Local First campaign. KLW is not dead, but appeals to a limited audience. We are proud to be weird, independent businesses that pride ourselves on being different from the chains. Keep Louisville Weird and Buy Local first have nothing to do with drawing tourism to our fine city, but it does encourage people in the city to vist the businesses that make us different. Visit the website and learn more about the movement http://www.keeplouisvilleweird.com/index.htm
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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Kyle L » Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:56 pm

One of the more humorous , I guess, marketing slogans Louisville has had in my recent memory involved its name.

Louisville.
Loo-ee-vill
Lu-i-vill

Something along those lines. They were big banners hung , usually at the airport, and I remember laughing to myself the first time seeing thinking they were quite effective.
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Re: Keep Louisville Weird campaign

by Ray W. » Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:46 pm

I always thought it was weird to see those Louisville Metro "16th Largest City in America" signs...I certainly hope all those signs were taken down...I think we should capitalize on our unique location and blend of cultural influences...Something along the lines of Louisville: Where Midwestern Charm Meets Southern Hospitality...Well, at least we have a pretty cool state logo and slogan...
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