Home /

RSCVA will unveil new campaign today, if you pay to go see it

8/26/09 - So I heard through the grapevine about RSCVA's new rumored marketing campaign for Reno. Granted, notice the words 'grapevine' and 'rumor' so who knows how far off base this is but hey it's fun to report anyway.

The new marketing campaign is called 'A Little West of Center'. I think what the RSCVA is going for here is something Reno might actually be able to live up to. We are not 'the adventure place' nor was that a brand we could really live up to, compared to some of the amazing adventures to be had in neighboring states like Utah and California. I have a good feeling about it. I think locals will hate it, but I feel it's more in line with people's perception of Reno on the outside. Case in point, my friends in SF like to come up to Reno for a 'Trash Tour' where they find the seediest motels and bars possible to experience Reno to its fullest. That might seem offensive to some, however I have to admit that was my perception of Reno as well, when I lived in Los Angeles. For example, the concept of a beer crawl or wine walk is very unique to Reno...sure some other cities have them, but Reno dominates google search results for 'beer crawl'. It's a unique experience Reno has already that tourists may find fun. Also, how about the fact that Washoe County consumes the most alcohol by volume per capita? Why not play into that? We like to drink, so what? So does Germany and England and Russia. It's doesn't make us a bunch of unproductive lushes, we just like to have a good time. Reno style.

So there idea here is to capture 'authentic Reno'. I haven't seen any of the ads yet, but I do like it better than the 'Adventure Place'. There's an official announcement today, http://www.prsareno.org/events/index.php if you feel like shelling out $20 to $30 to hear what they have in mind for Reno. I honestly think that's a bit tacky, making people pay to go see a sneak peek of a campaign that is supposed to benefit our city. When Sparks was working on its Festival City campaign, at least the public had a chance to give input and see what they were working on, without having to pay $30 to go see.

Comments:

Post your comments
Posted by: Downtown Diva - 8/26/2009 10:46:32 AM
I hope it goes off better than that cheezy campaign they did a few months ago under the Reno Arch. That was an embarrassment to our city.

Posted by: Kaseygirl - 8/26/2009 11:05:26 AM
Seriously.....They are making people pay to see a sneak peek about our OWN city! Great way to start off a new marketing campaign and really get the public behind ya, Make them pay!!!! I seriously wonder about the people in charge who make these decisions, really get a clue!

Posted by: Wiley_n_Reno - 8/26/2009 7:47:11 PM
THE RSCVA needs to get rid of the many embarrassing little 1960's era motels with the "Color TV" "Air Conditioning" and "Room Phones" on the signs still out in front. When people drive through downtown from another place that is what they see and that creates their first impression of Reno! An ad campaign won't help block that experience.

Posted by: doofus - 8/27/2009 8:07:33 PM
I couldn't disagree with wiley more. Celebrate these relics of the American motering past, and encourage them. We should be promoting that we have so many of them still left here, instead of promoting tearing them down. (yes, I know there are some that are not salvagable) I just did a cross country tour with a 135 pound dog, and stayed in many of these sorts of establishments. They beat Motel $60 hands down for user experience. Look at Motel Phoenix in SF for retro chic that works.

Posted by: Kevin Knutson - 8/28/2009 5:00:24 PM
The RSCVA came to talk to PRSA members about the planning and research involved in the new campaign at our luncheon on Wednesday. PRSA charged the money to pay for the lunch and space at Harrah's. They didn't reveal any ads or anything too specific, as the public launch won't be until after the RSCVA board approves the concept. They did a great job of getting the local PR people excited about the new program, which is important because they're going ask the them to get behind this idea and help support it. Hope that helps clear up what Wednesday was all about. Kevin Knutson Co-Vice President of Programming PRSA - Sierra Nevada Chapter

Posted by: lakescrossing - 8/31/2009 3:22:55 PM
What the h exactly does "A Little West of Center" mean? Sounds like typical tourism consultant garbage. America's Adventure Place was good enough. It was a great campaign with a lot of cool, trendy, outdoor shots. Nobody said we were America's Greatest Adventure Place. A Little West of Center however is so vague and ambiguous it's pathetic. Would you visit Cleveland because it was "A Little East of Center?" Doesn't even make any sense. I don't downplay the seedy, hipster dive scene part of Reno, but at the same time I wouldn't glorify it. Your SF pals going on a trash crawl are condescending pretentious cultural elitists. Would they go on a trash refugee camp crawl to Darfur?

Posted by: Go Aces - 9/1/2009 8:24:45 PM
I think they thought up this new campaign while eating lunch at Pei Wei Asian Diner. Their tagline is "East of Usual"