Valley Regional Transit (Boise): Pollution Solution marketing thrust | Transit is/as the Pollution Solution

The transit agency in Boise is positioning its ongoing shift to electric buses as the "Pollution Solution" although this is more about the switch to electricity from diesel.

 

But I think that the idea of transit as "the" "Pollution Solution" vis a vis motor vehicles and the reality that most trips are of one person is a great marketing positioning regardless of the fuel source.

-- Great cartoon-based brochure, Pollution Solution, Valley Regional Transit

Red Wassenich, who coined the term "Keep Austin Weird," dies

"'Keep Austin Weird' Originator Remembered for Choosing Community Over Capital," Austin Chronicle

-- Keep Austin Weird

In"First Weird Austin now "Slow Architecture"" (2006) I made the point that one problem with such "campaigns" as the slogan has been commandeered in places like Portland Oregon and Louisville Kentucky is that "independent retail" shouldn't be seen as weird but as normal and essential.

It was never Red Wassenich's intention for the slogan to become "a brand."  But it did.

-- "
The history of how 'Keep Austin Weird' became synonymous with the Capital City," Culture Map Austin
-- "Keeping Austin Weird: Graffiti and Urban Branding," The End of Austin blog
-- "Keeping it Weird in Austin, Texas," Smithsonian Magazine
-- "Why Place Branding Is Becoming Place Doing (Consider Austin)," Forbes
-- "Owners of Keep Austin Weird slogan are suing festival of same name," Austin American-Statesman

Baltimore Tourism Day, May 6th and Baltimore Tourism Week, May 7th- 13th

National Tourism Week starts this Sunday.

Baltimore is celebrating its own Tourism Week during National Tourism Week.  (Note that World Tourism Day is in late September.)

As part of their program, they have created Baltimore Tourism Day on Saturday May 6th, and they will offer three different  free bus routes for the day so that people can explore different neighborhoods, retail and restaurants, and attractions around the city ("Visit Baltimore wants to use free bus tour to promote neighborhoods," Baltimore Business Journal).

From the article:

Baltimore is known for its neighborhoods and the city's tourism agency is hoping to show off what the areas have to offer with a free hop on, hop off bus for a day.

Visit Baltimore will run the promotion as part of Baltimore Tourism Day on May 6. ... The goal is to get locals and tourists alike to explore all parts of the city with the guided bus tours. Buses will run on one of three loops acrss Baltimore. The first loop will take riders from the Inner Harbor into Harbor East, Fells Point, Canton, Highlandtown and Mount Vernon before returning to downtown.

The second loop starts in Mount Vernon and goes on to show off Charles Village, Hampden, Woodbury, Remington and Pennsylvania Avenue The final loop will explore Lexington Market, Pigtown, Federal Hill, Fort McHenry and the Camden Yards Sports Complex. ...

Each bus is free and an entire loop would take about an hour, but guests can get off and on at any of the stops. Tour guides will be on board throughout to talk about attractions and offer suggestions. Buses will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All riders will receive a lanyard when boarding that can be shown at a number of local restaurants and attractions for discounts throughout the day.

-- Guide with map of the routes and listing of special offers

I think this is an interesting model that other cities and/or urban districts ought to consider trying out.

Baltimore Visitor Center.  Unlike DC, Baltimore also has a top notch visitor center, located on the Inner Harbor.

It's complemented by a network of visitor centers across the State of Maryland, funded in part by the Maryland Office of Tourism Development, a unit of the State Department of Commerce.