Design Charlotte, We are Charlotte Design

<!– Written by Ben Ullman –>

Last Thursday, the city of Charlotte celebrated the unveiling of its new “Charlotte’s got a lot” campaign, developed by local ad agency Boone Oakley. The new slogan was announced last December, and the campaign has been building steam over the past year, with the development of a series of print ads and a TV spot. The city’s official tourism website has also been rebranded from VisitCharlotte.com to CharlottesGotALot.com. According to the Business Journal, “The city’s tourism authority plans to boost spending for tourism marketing to $1.2 million over the next year … a 60% hike over the annual spending of previous years”.

I must admit, when I first heard the slogan, I groaned. For claiming “a lot”, it certainly says very little. Is this a memorable phrase? Is it unique to our city? Does it even say anything about our city? Not really. Pretty much any place with an interstate and half a skyline could reasonably claim to have a lot of something.

I remembered the ad I had seen on the back of the visitors’ guide in 2007, when I was planning a move to the area. The copy simply said “Shhhhhhharlotte“. I thought that said a lot — at least relatively — for something so tight-lipped. It implied “we don’t need you to spread the word. Let’s keep this town out little secret.” If that wouldn’t create the idea of a great place to be, I don’t know what would.

A growing city in search of an identity while its national and world visibility is on the rise, Charlotte doesn’t really have an iconic image. Sure, it has banking, it has NASCAR, and many other highlights, but to latch onto any one thing at this point would be to ignore many others. The Shhhharlote ads, also by Boone Oakley, deftly dodge these challenges with a clever concept that leaves much to the imagination.

But with the new campaign, the city is taking a much more direct approach. The print ads focus on specific attractions or activities: the Whitewater Center, NASCAR racing, four star restaurants and trendy nightlife. They take direct aim at the common misconception that this is a small town without much to offer. While the slogan may not say much on its own, in context it offers some evidence to back its claim, with copy tailored to the job, and doing double duty, as the words “a lot” are revealed within the word “Charlotte”.

Ad Credits: (via Blue Bucket)
Art Director – Matt Klug
Photographer – Mark Holthusen
Copywriter – Keith Greenstein

Photos for the ads were shot on location at various Charlotte venues, such as the Whitewater Center and M5 restaurant. The new campaign is expected to run for about 3 to 5 years. And, at the rate this city’s been growing, and as it changes to respond to challenges in the financial industry, it’ll probably look a whole lot different by then.