New Wisconsin Ad Theme Identical To A 2004 Bacardi Ad - Doh!

Well, after $50,000 spent on researching color, consumer attitudes, and what-all, we've got "Wisconsin: Live it like you mean it!" in red and green letters and a red guy shaped like an "X" doing a cartwheel.

The green hue of the word "Wisconsin" is designed to represent the state’s natural resources and stewardship of the land. The red in the theme line and the cartwheeling silhouette conveys the attitudes of the state’s people, (Governor) Doyle said...

"The goal here is that by speaking in one voice and presenting a unified image, it helps Wisconsin grow its marketing strength at a time when we need it most," said Kelli Trumble, state tourism secretary. "It really gives us a very distinct look."

One big problem: A 2004 Bacardi rum campaign for "responsible" drinking used the same exact theme. (Hat tip: WTMJ) Oh, well. This is already a source of giggles and snark all over the Cheddarsphere, and it's just been introduced. I give it one season.

What's wrong with the classic "Eat Cheese or Die?"  Better yet, Governor Knowles' chestnut "We like it here" should be revived. The color of the print should be yellow, same as cheesehead hats, the state's real symbol. Send my $50,000 in small bills, please, and lose the cartwheel guy.

- Barry Orton

Comments

[Dominowski]

Question from an auslander ... Is Doyle the fellow who put the cow and the cheese and the corn cob on the back of the commemorative quarter? If so, he's got a fine eye for ghastly design. At least it didn't say "Eat Cheese or Die."

[JJ Hager]

I still think it should be "Wisconsin: Smell our dairy air"

[anon]

"Escape to Wisconsin" had a certain ring to it.

[anon]

Oh god. First sign of a bad idea -- using the same color as the Milwaukee Bucks. Blargh!

[mgm]

I forgot "We like it here." "I heart map cheese" was a bad idea. An updated "Escape to Wisconsin" would be better than a Bacardi ad. Someone didn't do homework.

[anon]

"Wisconsin: Something's brewing." Short, sweet, everyone will laugh at it. And remember it. Or did the Tavern League use this already?

[antpoppa]

Two tried and True logos.
Bacardi
And
The Jordan Jump Man

Antpoppa TM

[Darren Stucker]

What a great logo for an advertising agency, magazines and newspapers. Why? Because one has to use (or buy) extra space every time the logo is used.

Instead of it being just wide, it is wide and tall. That character at the top, not Ms Forward, requires almost an extra column inch to use just to see the top of it. Will the agency placing the logo in an ad get an extra 15% of the extra space that it will need to buy.

Now how much are we going to have to spend to tell the public what the new logo means? It takes a lot and costs a lot to make a new image take hold with the public. Did we really need to do this now?

[Rich Preston]

Wisconsin...cheaper than Florida, better than nuthin'

[Ron McCrea]

"Live like you mean" implies" ". . . even if you don't." Too stressful to keep up appearances when all you want to do is ESCAPE TO WISCONSIN! Remember the fun we had with that? ESCAPE TO SIN, COWS IS NICE.

My suggestions:

To cover both the great outdoors and our drinking habits: WISCONSIN: NATURE CALLS.

To please both boosters and skeptics: WISCONSIN: IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER!