Whoever Is Doing North Dakota’s New Tourism Campaign Needs To Be Fired

Rob Port • January 12, 2012

We here in North Dakota have been bombarded with news stories about the state’s new tourism slogan, “Arrive a guest, leave a legend.” From the amount of coverage, you’d think it was like the most important story in the state in about a year.

Seriously, if we had as much in-depth coverage of government affairs as we do powder-puff coverage of tourism campaigns the state would be the better for it.

Anyway, here’s one of the new (cringe-worthy, painful-to-look-at) ads bearing the new slogan:

The folks at BoingBoing weigh in:

Somehow, North Dakota has managed to create a tourism ad that is simultaneously offensively sleazy and desperately uncool. It’s trying to make a wink-wink, “women are objects” lad mag joke. But it looks like your really dorky, incredibly square uncle’s idea of a wink-wink, “women are objects” lad mag joke.

It’s sleaze as designed by people who have no idea what sleaze is supposed to look like. They’ve just heard about it third-hand from someone who went to Vegas once.

Your tax dollars, hard at work.

North Dakota tries to be cool, fails (boingboing.net)
North Dakota officials unveil new tourism campaign (sfgate.com)
North Dakota officials unveil new tourism campaign (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Tags: Asshats, North Dakota News, tourism

Matthew

This is moronic.

While people who go to North Dakota will go to bars, nobody is going to go to North Dakota for the bar scene.

North Dakota has beautiful outdoors. Market yourself to people who like to hike, hunt and cross country ski.

North Dakota will never be South Beach.

http://sayanythingblog.com Rob

North Dakota will never be South Beach.

Another pearl of wisdom dropped by Matthew, a genius in his own mind.

Cherz1967

He’s not a genius. He’s a legend. He arrivea guest and left a legend in his own mind.

Hunter

Jay Leno could do a whole night on this one! Maybe Letterman could do a top 10 list.

Guest

why would you belittle the person who made the least offensive statement on the matter? Does he need to be like some others and suggest that women are sluts for going out on the town, dressed fairly conservatively in order to earn credibility with you?

Anonymous

Really?? That’s the best they can do? How much are we spending on this? Why?

Rocky

It looks like two girls and a cougar prowling the streets. The guys look like a couple of monkeys on display in a cage (complete with alchoholic beverages). It’s a good thing they’re behind the glass. We don’t want a “Planet of the Apes” scenario unfolding on the streets in Fargo.

The foolishness of the ad notwithstanding, the concept of “arrive a guest, leave a legend” doesn’t make any sense. How do you become a legend simply by visiting a place? It’s rhetorical gibberish.

http://nofreelunch.areavoices.com/ Kevin Flanagan

Which state bureaucrat’s relatives are raking in the money for this nonsense?
borborygmi

Makes me want to go to North Dakota. WTF
Anonymous

You have to admit that it will make the people in the other 56 states wonder what the hell is going on up here.

Hannitized, Proofs obsession

Looks like your typical conservative, wannabe party town Moochele Bachman frequents.

http://cdn.madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Michele-Bachmann.jpg

Guest

this has nothing to do with Michele Bachmann, not that you would care.

Hannitized, Proofs obsession

Except for being a typical conservative party town Moochele Bachman might frequent, you mean.

Guest

This is your typical dem/lib/commie celebration. Notice the hammer and sickle flag that you worship.

Hal432

That was funny. I will point out, for those who didn’t know, that during the last Presidential campaign, Obama thought there were 57 states.

Jimmypop

someone needs to lose their job over this. this is what children do.
Clint F

Apparently the campaign cost $200,000. This debacle isn’t the whole campaign, there’s a series of print ads and :15 television spots. There are plenty of production companies in North Dakota who would do that job for less, I’m sure.

Cf

Jimmypop

do you have a source for this number? if tis true, i now know someone MUST get fired over this shit.

Clint F

I originally got it from the Fargo Forum, but I see the Tribune and the rest of the AP parrots are printing it too.

Cf

http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

Remember that movie “Earth Girls are Easy”? Substitute “North Dakota” for “Earth”, and I think you’ve got the gist of the campaign.

Hannitized, Proofs obsession

Because women out on the town is akin to being easy, in your mind? Or does the fact that young men drink and socialize with women suggest to you that women are sluts?

This is yet more evidence that you have minimal, if any, contact with actual women.

http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

Grow up, Willie! You argue about the stupidest things!

Hannitized, Proofs obsession

You stated that “North Dakota Girls are Easy” just because they are depicted being out on the town.

What sort of mental case are you?

two_amber_lamps

Hey Guy La’Douche… he stated the ad portrayed women in a manner unbefitting, he made no statement re: ND women.
Crawl back into your basement and go play video games like you usually do, and don’t come out until your reading comprehension improves. I’m sick and tired of you reading whatever you want into people’s responses in order to support your sick/twisted agenda.
http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

You’ll have to excuse little Hanni. His obsession with me goes back many years, I believe, as a result of me not marrying his mother. Chewing the lead paints chips as an infants didn’t help either.

Hanni has a knee jerk (capital “jerk”) reaction to everything I say. Whether I am commenting on movies I have seen, or complimenting an actor for his choice of roles, Hanni feels the overwhelming need to contradict me. The fact that he has not been right about anything since his appearance here over three years ago is causing his frustration to grow. Well, that and the onset of puberty…
Hannitized, Proofs obsession

That’s a pretty twisted attempt to distract from the fact that you just claimed these women of North Dakota are slutty because they choose to go out on the town.

Just how badly do you hate women, Poofy?
http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

Once again, your inability to read and your propensity to project causes you to spout utter nonsense. I never called anyone slutty. I might make an exception in your case, though.
Hannitized, Proofs obsession

Entertain me, explain the difference between easy women and slutty women.

Or we can watch you avoid the tough question and add “easy” to the pile of words that you don’t understand.
http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

You argue about the stupidest things, Tiny Wanker. Read my reply to “Guest” and if you’ve seen the movie, answer the questions. If you haven’t, shut your pie hole.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com Goon

Hannitized works at McDonalds and lives in his mother ‘s basement.
Hannitized, Proofs obsession

So when he added the word North Dakata, to you that means he made no statement re: ND women?

I don’t agree with Rbb that you are funny. I think you are a demented and evil person who probably doesn’t resemble a woman.
two_amber_lamps

Wow, you have quite the imagination… surprising considering all those hours you spend in your basement playing pointless video games, probably pleasuring youself to pictures of zombies. But I’m glad places like McDonalds offer you the opportunity to work, though I suppose you’re much more willing to sit home and collect a state check. You claim to be from HI… I’m betting you’re actually from California and this article was actually a biography for you…

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/05/04/6584344-an-infantalist-meet-stanley-the-adult-baby
Hannitized, Proofs obsession

Speaking of imaginations, that was an interesting rant from the limited depth of your imagination.

I was right about the evil part, but can you validate my guess that you don’t resemble a woman?

Please post your picture so that we can complete the one others have of you.
Guest

Yuk
Guest

You’re hoping she doesn’t resemble a woman. You prefer the “little boy” look.
http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

First, have someone read to you my comment above: You argue about the stupidest things.

Second, my observation, unlike the shallow drivel you regularly post here, Wankertized, was based not only on the picture, but on the text that accompanied it. It was in English, so I am not surprised that you neither read nor comprehended it.

I would be more than happy to discuss the rationale behind the comment with someone who is sane, rational, intelligent, not obsessed with me and reasonably conversant in English. Strike five, you’re out, Wee Willie.

Please demonstrate that you have no life and are willing to argue ad infinitum about the stupidest stuff by trying to continue this conversation. Then, tell us why you think that “camp” is short for “campaign”. We all could use an election year chuckle!

Jimmypop

huh. i presumed the guys are the locals….. unless we are trying to pimp the lie that we dont really have 99% white people here.

http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

I think the implication is in the text: “Drinks, dinner, decisions. Arrive a guest, leave a legend”. Ask yourself what kind of “legend” is being implied and how it might be achieved and by whom.

Guest

that’s a scummy response. who makes you the authority of what is and what is not slutty?

http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

I also find it interesting that Hanni’s mind, or what passes for one, immediately jumps to the word “slut”. I said no such thing. The fact that he also missed the cultural reference and the humor behind it just speaks to Hanni’s general asshattery.

Guest

He can only relate to women as sluts, that’s all he attracts. Just ask his pharmacist.
Guest

who cares about that? It’s disgusting that you think you can refer to women as being easy and slutty because of a simple ad that does not represent women in an easy or sleazy manner.

http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

Gusty: It seems you share Wee Willie’s Proof Derangement Syndrome, or his inability to read and comprehend English (or both). I did not refer to anyone as a “slut” or “slutty”. I made a cultural reference. Are you familiar with the movie “Earth Girls are Easy”? If not, then you are judging my comment based on your own absolute ignorance of the subject. (Another trait you probably share with little orphan Hanni.)

If you are familiar with the movie, please tell me which of the titular characters of the movie (pun intended), do you consider to be a “slut”? Then, we’ll discuss the comparison. Until then, you might just consider shutting your pie hole.

And please be careful. The Tiny Hawaiian Fruitcake calls people cowards who sign in as “Guest”. He may stomp his preternaturally tiny feet at you if you’re not careful!

http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ Proof

What is it with the mind numbingly stupid trolls who cannot read and comprehend simple English? I did not refer to anyone as “slutty”. If you are looking for an authority on the subject, you might try asking your Mom.

j735

nothing says North Dakota tourism like a picture of wannabe hipsters gawking at chicks in downtown Fargo………this ad is done so poorly it looks like the decision the 2 idiots are trying to make is one roofie or two……pathetic……..would be better off running an old ad from Smokey’s, at least they were entertaining and a unique version of north dakota
badlands4

I have seen the commercials and they are equally bad. If you recall ,
the Legendary campaign(and not the Rulegendary, but the ND legendary)
was good. It focused on the outdoor attractions; fishing, hunting, the
badlands, etc and it had the kind of “cowboy” voice-over and music. It
worked to the audience they want to market towards. These ads just use
some of the footage(the hunting one did) from last year, but make a
worse ad and worse voice over with it.

The western history is what many of the tourists want. They want
Custer, Sitting Bull, Sakakawea, Lewis and Clark, Maah Daah Hey trail,
the badlands, Teddy Roosevelt, etc. What NONE of them want to do is
stand outside a plate glass window in Fargo while two “hip” guys, one of
whom looks like a lounge singer and perhaps future stalker, eyeball
them like they are selections in a vending machine.

Surely there are better ways to market Fargo to Canadian shoppers looking to get away for the weekend.

I don’t know how to do a proper link, so this may not work but here are
the new ads. At the very bottom of the page is the ND Legendary link.
that is the ad that works. The new ads….mmmm….they do not work. AT.
ALL.

http://ndtourism.com/about/advertisements/north-dakota-legendary/
JustMe

being from North Dakota, this ad is pretty offensive…

JustMe

This is taken in Fargo at the Hotel Donaldson from the looks of it. Very great bar and great food by the way.

Anonymous

But you see, North Dakota can no longer sell its “great outdoors” experience, which has been ruined by the Bakken oil development. We’ve lost our only comparative advantage, tourismwise, thanks to the evils of hydrofracking and Big Oil.

All we’re left with is promoting our hot chicks in Fargo. Who are legendary.

two_amber_lamps

Yes! We must shut down the Bakken to regain our pristine image!

http://steynian.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/liberal-vision-of-the-future-so-simple-a-caveman-could-under-political-poster-1300152387.jpg?w=500&h=400
Anonymous

Your anti-oil rhetoric doesn’t change the reality that the “great outdoors” is still alive and well in ND. We still have fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, and all the other outdoor activities. Empty claims that oil development turns our environment into an uninhabitable wasteland are just that, empty claims.

Hal432

Whoever chose that picture certainly ought to be fired. It gives the impression that those are the best looking women in ND. Even Jamer wouldn’t drive 2 miles for that.

Guest

are you saying that chubby people are not the best looking people?

Hal432

I re-read my post, I didn’t see anything about chubby. Are you saying that those women are chubby?

Guest

Of course they are chubby, there is nothing wrong with being chubby. Why do you think chubby people aren’t the best looking?

Hal432

You really need to work on your reading comprehension. I never mentioned weight or size, you did and continue to do so.

DRO

I finally get it. Its all about the implied male/female ratio (2 guys, 3 girls). The agency doing this ad should be fired for the mere fact that they can’t do simple math or get their point across…besides the other fact that it is a horrible ad and apparently $200,000 doesn’t buy you pretty girls.
Wesley Fargo

Better question is… why are we spending money on tourism in the 1st place?

So folks want to experiences the “Western Flavor” as mentioned above? Where west of Bismarck and east of Beach would they find a hotel room or a campsite?

If you advertise for eastern ND as a great place to shop and nightlife, by the time Measure 2 courtesy of the “no property tax” drones passes, the local tax on store bought goods will be 12-13 % and the lodging and alcohol taxes will have to be boosted too.

So I guess we might need marketing just to keep the locals from staying home in their non taxed houses, drinking beer they bought in Moorhead.

New advertising slogan
“Come to ND, our houses are tax free, so buy a house, stay awhile.. but buy your stuff back home because our sales taxes are legendary”

http://sayanythingblog.com Rob

Better question is… why are we spending money on tourism in the 1st place?

So folks want to experiences the “Western Flavor” as mentioned above? Where west of Bismarck and east of Beach would they find a hotel room or a campsite?

That’s actually a really good point.

If you advertise for eastern ND as a great place to shop and nightlife, by the time Measure 2 courtesy of the “no property tax” drones passes, the local tax on store bought goods will be 12-13 % and the lodging and alcohol taxes will have to be boosted too.

That’s not even close to true.

Anonymous

Come visit Watford City! But you’ll have to drive in from Harvey.

Good point, indeed. Maybe we need man camps for tourists.

Wesley Fargo

You know after typing my previous post, I thought of a second thought,

It wouldn’t matter what the Tourism Dept put out, by years end; they will be boasting that this campaign was a total success.

They will claim that these ads are the reason so many people are flocking to western ND, and that these ads are the reason the Jamestown Valley City, Fargo hotels are full (real reason is travelers headed east haven’t found a room since Miles City.) It will be years before Williston Dickinson Minot and soon Bismarck will be able to host large events like basketball tourneys, Prairie Rose State games, etc.

They simply cannot build hotels fast enough. This building season will be crazy and they are just getting started in the Bakken and Three Forks shale plays. The insanity will grow 2 or threefold in the next 3-5 years. Add in the construction of the Keystone pipeline next year and the road construction projects out there, the need for workers will vastly out pace any new construction.

Of course a portion of every hotel room and meal served in cafe’s across the state goes to tourism, based on their wild performance in 2011 I say lets not fire them but give them all raises. (I miss typed raises and the spell checker suggested rabies?) perhaps rabies too!
Anonymous

Before everyone gets all carried away, know that the add in question is a leaked prospective ad. It is NOT currently in the advertising campaign. I’m sure a lot of potential adds (for whatever is being sold) that are just as crappy, end up on the cutting room floor before they hit market. We have merely learned of this one.

That said…I don’t like my tax dollars being spent on tourism or any other situation where winners are chosen by the state.
http://flamemeister.com flamemeister

Nothing will surpass “Discover the Spirit!”

ec99

Given students’ propensity to binge drink, it should have been “Discover the Spirits.”

Demosthenes

Awe yes, I see nothing mentioned what so ever and yet Rob proclaims it is our lead ad for ND.

http://ndtourism.com/about/advertisements/north-dakota-advertisements/

ND is great and so is having some tourism. Why Lie about the Ad? TY, ND Superman for some real truth.
JustRuss

Lets all go to North Dakota!

It will be Legen…..Wait for it…..
Anonymous

If they were going for the out of town girls laughing at nerdy loser looking ND guys then it hit the mark. Can’t say that will attract many visitors though
Sp

I want to go to ND and impregnate that chubby Native American bitch in the ad. Hot damn.

Sp

Or do you guys in ND say ‘squaw bitch?’

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