NOREEN: Colorado Springs: Elevated. By Nature?

Colorado Springs: Elevated. By nature.

Catchy enough for you?

It's the one-liner that local tourism and economic development officials think may catch a few more dollars from tourists and businesses thinking of coming here. The elevated-by-nature line, which has a few layers of meaning, is being circulated via a Power-Point presentation by Amy Long, vice president of marketing and membership for the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"We've long wanted to brand our region," Long said last week. "If you don't have a brand you will be less efficient with your ad dollars."
People can scoff and point out that tourists are much more likely to come here than go to Goodland, Kan. But as good as we are, we don't have to compete with Goodland.

We compete with Boulder and Santa Fe for tourists. We compete with Austin and Albuquerque - places with airports and universities - for corporate expansions and relocations.

Marketing doesn't put you over the top, but it's one of the tools that helps. The tag line, Long said, must be more than a slogan; it has to be true.

David White, vice president of marketing for the Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corp., already has seen some resistance to the "by nature" phrase because some feel it conveys too much of an environmental idea. But White said "a lot of companies want to be green. They're concerned with their carbon footprint."

White also has heard the criticism that there's nothing unique about a region using its geography in marketing. The trouble is, he said, is that without a way to brand itself in marketing, Colorado Springs is dead in the water.

"What's happening is we are being branded by others," White said.

That's true. Fairly or unfairly, some around the country say Colorado Springs is an intolerant place because it gave birth to an anti-gay rights ballot measure in the 1990s.

The city also is seen as merely being a military community, or the home to dozens of religious organizations.

There's a lot more to the city than that.

Marco Hernandez of TKA Advertising said at the foot of Pikes Peak, "nature is one of our fundamental truths." But whatever slogan ultimately is used to spearhead an ad campaign in 2010, he said it's important for many community organizations "to be champions for the brand."

Polly Weldon of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce said "I love the ‘nature' part. Elevated? I'm going to have to think about that one."

The marketing professionals' reactions to the campaign idea show the challenge of getting everyone to agree on a unifying vision for the community.

But marketing is important and a little unity goes a long way.
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