Tourism uses NYC as a major draw

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New York state is asking tourists to fall in (HEART) all over again.

What may be the best-known campaign in tourism marketing—named after its theme, I love New York—is being updated to reflect everything from the new media choices consumers are making to higher prices for gasoline and other travel expenses.

At a news conference in Midtown Manhattan, governor David A Paterson and officials of the state department of economic development are scheduled to introduce the revised campaign. The ads are the first work from the tourism campaign’s new agency, the New York office of Saatchi & Saatchi, part of the Publicis Groupe, which was hired in May 2007.

The familiar slogan is back, and so is the recognisable logo. But there are significant shifts in what the ads will say as well as where they will appear.

One big change will be to step up the promotion of New York state, not just New York City, as a vacation destination. The twist comes in using the powerful appeal of the city to woo visitors to other locales, which is encapsulated in the phrase “The state with the heart of the city”.

For instance, an ad for New York vineyards asserts that the wine “has to be just as good as what the city offers”. And an ad for sights like waterfalls, parks and beaches asserts that they, too, give tourists “a reason to crane their necks”. So “go ahead and stare,” as the headline puts it. “We’re used to it.”

Another difference from previous campaigns will be to play up the idea that New York state is perfect for the shorter trips that tourists are likely to take in coming months because of rising travel costs.

For example, a state vacation book that ran almost 200 pages is being replaced with a 40-page Getaway Guide, featuring journeys of three or four days.

To underline the emphasis on proximity, the ads will be concentrated in nearby Northeastern states and Canadian provinces.