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What Color Is Connecticut?
To bolster tourism, state seeks to define its image
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Business New Haven
8/6/2001
By:
Anne-Marie Brungard
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Ask commuters about Connecticut and its natural environment and it certainly conjures up images of the stench of exhaust fumes on Interstate 95 or the infamous Q Bridge. The “perceptual tracking studies” and strategic research Internet study sponsored by the state's Office of Tourism reveal that visitors from elsewhere, however, consider the state as both scenic and beautiful with lots to do.
The solons behind the state's marketing and tourism public-relations efforts appear to be having a surprisingly easy time selling Connecticut's environmentally desirable image. From the Gold Coast of Fairfield County to the Last Green Valley, Connecticut is diverse as its regions and neighborhoods, a veritable rainbow of colors and textures.
Blue & Gold
Two hundred fifty-three miles of Connecticut coastline definitely make an impact on residents and tourists alike. Fairfield County's shoreline is considered the “gateway” to Connecticut, featuring ten miles of active coastline indented by coves and harbors. Car-bound tourists pass quickly through to get to other parts of the state, such as Mystic or the Connecticut River valley area.
The challenge is to give the tourists a compelling reason to stop, stay a while and spend a few dollars. But the area is able to build on its Yankee roots blended with big-city cultural sophistication. Ultimately it is the “beauty of the beaches with the tranquility of the countryside,” according to the Coastal Fairfield County Convention & Visitors Bureau, that makes the difference.
The image of Fairfield County's Gold Coast has more to do with its high-income residents and parade of movie-star habitués than its golden sandy beaches, but marketing efforts highlight both as positive attributes.
Both the Mystic and Connecticut River Valley areas also take full advantage of their maritime proximity, citing shores, beaches, boating and fishing as major attractions. The quaint New England towns, rolling hills and woodlands are not lost in the messages, either. It is, however, the striking shorelines and coastal views that dominate the marketing efforts.
Some municipalities even have imported sand to give Mother Nature a helping hand, as time and tide slowly eat away at the coastline. Obviously the investment is made to keep visitors and residents smiling and on the beaches for the entire season.
Fishing, sailing and boating are also key factors in burnishing Connecticut's environmental image. The state's Department of Environmental Protection, bolstered by the regional tourism-council campaigns, shifts the areas saltwater and freshwater fishing resources, plus 108 state-owned boat-launch areas, into full-throttle visibility. The coves and harbors of Bridgeport and Westbrook, for example, are key draws.
Green & Gold
The state enjoys vast green resources, of course - 94 state parks, 31 state forests and a proliferation of town greens, campgrounds and scenic hiking trails. New Haven boasts of its elm-lined streets and Colonial and federal architecture, while the Litchfield and north-central Connecticut tout their dense greenery, open spaces and romantic country-getaway personas.
The state's tourism Web site points to the “great diversity of terrain and wide open spaces that appeal to outdoor enthusiasts [and an] extensive network of trails, including a section of the Appalachian Trail in the northwest corner connecting Vermont and New York.”
The Quinnebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, promoted as Connecticut's “Last Green Valley,” is a special park within the National Park system - more than half the size of the Grand Canyon and ten times the acreage of Maine's Acadia National Park. The region comprises 26 municipalities in northern Connecticut and nine in south central Massachusetts. The scenic byways, hills, and dense forests are signature hallmarks of the area.
“We find that our environmental resources are very important and we do our best to preserve and promote them,” says Michelle Mineo, executive director of the Northeast Connecticut Visitors District. The National Heritage Corridor has forged partnerships with residents, businesses, civic organizations and government agencies to heighten public awareness of this green and rural island between the urban sprawl of Boston and New York.
The so-called Quiet Corner, northeastern Connecticut encompasses 21 towns and 745 square miles of “beautiful countryside dotted with town greens, historic mill villages and rural agricultural areas,” emphasizes the area's tourism Web site. The area has been described by the Boston Globe as a “hidden treasure.”
Another attraction in most of the state is the autumn foliage season. The state Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Forestry and its State Forester, Don Smith, are doing their part to educate the public, providing up-to-the-minute information for leaf-peepers with invaluable tips on when and where to go to find the best and brightest fall foliage.
As an archetypal New England attraction, Connecticut is the entryway for gaping visitors who drive, ride and walk to enjoy the colorful showcase of leaves fringed in shades of red, brown and gold.
Transforming Green to Gold
Comparatively speaking, Connecticut is a small state, third-tiniest only to Rhode Island and Delaware. But it appears that its natural resources are a huge bonus. In developing its marketing and branding efforts, the state's Office of Tourism and the Connecticut Tourism Council teamed up with the Department of Economic & Community Development, the New Haven ad agency of McLaughlin, DelVecchio & Casey Inc., the O'Neal Group and Lou Hammond & Associates of New York.
The challenge faced by Nicky McHugh, a member of the marketing, advertising and in-state public relations team of McLaughlin, DelVecchio & Casey, was to spotlight the multifaceted strong points of each region.
“It has been a positive experience,” says McHugh. “The regions are so diverse and product offerings are so unique.” Each area of the state has its own flavor, style and environmental personality, she says.
MDC's new integrated marketing approach includes radio and television spots, newspaper and magazine advertising, direct mail and public-relations initiatives. The messages are targeted predominantly to baby-boomer women, the metro New York region, and in-state messages for residents and visiting friends and family.
Says First Lady Patricia L. Rowland, Connecticut's “tourism ambassador,” “We are promoting a sampling of themed getaway ideas to truly demonstrate the variety of vacation options available.” That “variety of options” is based primarily in the distinctive features of each region, and whether the potential visitor's preference is coastline, pristine countryside, fresh air or untouched open spaces, Connecticut has a piece of it all.
Fifty-two themed getaways promoted by the Office of Tourism speak to this diverse sampling with packages like No. 26 (“It's Shore Lots of Fun and Sun!”) or getaway No. 8 (“Relax, Rejuvenate & Reconnect”), which spotlights the countryside.
Cultural and historic attractions keep right in step, too, leveraging their environmental resources to draw tourists. Bridgeport's Beardsley Zoo, Stamford's Museum and Nature Center and Mystic Aquarium are just some of the regional attractions that promote special programs in this area.
Before the year is over $3 million will have been spent on marketing and promoting the state and its natural resources. It is estimated that for every $1 spent by state and local government on tourism efforts, $10 of income is generated.
“[Connecticut] tourism works hand in hand with environmental concerns,” emphasizes MDC's McHugh. The return on investment seems to be at least worthwhile.
Connecticut's colorful history, New England positioning and extensive natural resources seem to be the ideal product mix, and as the state's slogan lauds, we forever will be “full of surprises.”
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