Business Slogan 45: I Love New York
A carefully crafted business slogan speaks volumes of it’s brand values and promises, successfully.
Do you know what crisis resulted in this campaign for New York City? Do you know when this slogan was launched? Who wrote it? Who designed it?
“I Love New York” campaign was launched in 1977. There is a sad, sad story behind this slogan.
New York City almost collapsed in February 1975 when underwriters withdrew from a $260 million bond issue. 300,000 workers were laid off, schools were closed and New York City started to stink when cleaners went on strike. To restore order and to rebuild the slumbering city, the New York Commerce Commission decided to market New York City as a tourist hot spot so that revenue can be generated. Naturally, they hired an ad agency. Basically, what Wells, Riche and Greene did, is to create an identity for New York City. WRG created the now famous “I Love New York” slogan because of the love and affection the New Yorkers have for the city. 30 years on, it is still going strong since it’s inception in 1977 . Along with the famous slogan is the equally iconic “I Love New York” logo, designed by Milton Glaser, and the official “I love New York” song composed by Steve Karmen. With celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Morgan Fairchild and Yul Brenner helping to promote New York City, the tourists came. Soon, the tourism dollars put the city back to solvency
Since then, merchandising of “I Love New York” such as T-shirts and coffee mugs are souvenirs tourists love to bring home with. “I Love New York” Broadway Musical is still being played. Of course, the I Love New York logo is a registered trademark of the New York State Department of Economic Development. However, that did not stop many other cities and states to imitate the “I “Heart” … … ” text, font, icon etc.
WPG Group (now a unit of BDDP Worldwide) handled “I Love New York” until 1991; then it went to McCann-Erickson New York.
If you have read this post till here, do spare another 5 minutes to take a look at the origin of the “I (Heart) New York” ad campaign written and produced by a New York state high school student, Emily Egan. It is a remarkable video which provided some of the information above.
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[tags]slogan, business slogan, company slogan, corporate slogan, famous slogan, popular slogan, advertising slogan, brand value, branding, brand, eBay’s slogan, “I love New York”[/tags]
5 Replies to “Business Slogan 45: I Love New York”
Interesting post. Never knew that a simple slogan like this would be so effective a battle-cry of a city’s fight for survival.
Within the simple slogan lies the deep emotional attachment the New Yorkers have for the city. That’s why they resonated and rallied to pull the city out of its woes then.
Great history on this one Vivienne!
I just love this slogan. It’s incredible that a high school student can bring out the essence of the slogan in a short video. More than adults, children love and and are emotionally attached to people and places.
Slogans for social cause assume so much importance to rally people’s support for a cause; which every politician exploits to the maximum.
Great post indeed!
Really great post!