TourismOhio has unveiled the new brand, developed by Columbus-based Cult Marketing. The logo, with its hand drawn feel, will be featured in a $6 million broadcast, print and online marketing campaign peaking this coming spring. In a blogpost, Tourism Ohio said that “while Ohio has gained momentum in attracting visitors from outside Ohio, research also showed that a lack of awareness about the state and the emotional experiences that people share when visiting. The new brand will help reinforce, on an emotional level, the joy, happiness, excitement and shared connections people experience in Ohio.”
Of the rational, Cult Marketing explains: “We discovered that traveling is a Transitional Experience – that the very act of traveling alters a persons mental and emotional state. These high level emotional benefits experienced by travelers are both highly positive and extremely desirable. The brand strategy is to link the diverse and interesting things to do and experience in Ohio with those positive, higher-level emotional benefits that travel generates. Therefore, the strategy will focus on the joy, happiness, shared experiences, and emotional connections that you will experience while visiting Ohio.”