Governor Gina Raimondo and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation announced the launch of the state’s new integrated tourism and business-attraction campaign on Monday.
The new slogan, “Rhode Island: Cooler and Warmer” is said to “align the state’s best resources—its unparalleled quality of life, tourism appeal and business-friendly environment—to drive economic growth.”
“Rhode Islanders know our state is a great place to live, work and visit, and now we are moving forward with an exciting plan to make sure everyone else knows that, too,” said Raimondo. “By coordinating our resources and working together to highlight Rhode Island, we will attract new visitors, families and businesses and help make our state a place of opportunity for everyone.”
“This campaign is an important part of our ongoing effort to revitalize Rhode Island’s economy,” said R.I. Secretary of Commerce Stefan Pryor.
“For too long, Rhode Island was inconsistent in telling our story and was not front and center in conversations that determine where businesses decide to grow and where tourists decide to visit,” said R.I. Commerce Corporation Chief Marketing Officer Betsy Wall. “We have conducted extensive market research to develop an innovative and lively plan to reclaim what has always been our story—that of a dynamic place to live, work and visit.” .
“The new branding campaign is an exciting opportunity for all of Rhode Island’s destination marketing organizations to work together to elevate the state’s reputation as an ideal vacation destination,” said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“This new campaign, which we support, will help us as a state get back into tourism promotion and showcase all that makes Rhode Island a premier destination,” said Bob Billington, president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council.
Added Evan Smith, president and CEO of Discover Newport: “It’s an exciting new chapter for tourism in Rhode Island, and we are looking forward to championing this new campaign.”
Said Lori Harnois, executive director of Discover New England: “In the highly competitive world of destination marketing, this campaign stands out. Every state needs to define and distinguish itself, and Rhode Island is now doing just that.”
The Cooler and Warmer campaign will incorporate multiple platforms, including a new VisitRhodeIsland.com website, paid advertising, including paid search on Google, Yahoo and Bing, as well as banners on TripAdvisor, Expedia and Travel Channel, among others, social media content and paid engagement on Facebook and Twitter, engagement with Rhode Islanders, industry partners, and editorial influencers.
“Our success will depend greatly on our ongoing partnership with the state’s tourism regions,” said Wall. “Local engagement opportunities are extremely important to us, and we’ll be looking to Rhode Islanders to be our best brand ambassadors through events, social media campaigns and more.”
The brand mark of Rhode Island’s new campaign was designed by Milton Glaser, a renowned graphic and architectural designer with a body of work ranging from the iconic “I Love NY” logo to the design or redesign of more than 50 publications worldwide to his work as a design consultant for Target. Glaser’s work is in the permanent collections of many museums, and he is an influential figure in both the design and education communities.
