Tourism test ad: Don't come to W. Va.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Don't come to West Virginia, please!

That's the new tack the state Division of Tourism is taking with one ad in an attempt to lure vacationers to the Mountain State. The ad is meant to surprise folks by giving them the unexpected, according to the Charleston Daily Mail.

The don't-come-here ad is in addition to a new campaign that pits humdrum life situations against the thrill of escaping to West Virginia.

"It's a less traditional approach to tourism advertising," said Liz Chewning, the division's travel and marketing director.

Standard travel ads, which entice visitors by displaying the state's natural beauty, aren't doing the job they once did. So reverse psychology is meant to provide a little shock value.

The test ad appeared in the latest edition of O, The Oprah Magazine, featuring the headline: "Whatever you do, don't come to West Virginia."

From there the copy says, "Why would you even want to (come to West Virginia) when there are beaches in the Carolinas and mega-theme parks in Florida? And nothing says family fun like a 10-hour drive with screaming kids, miles after mile of desolate highway, and little to break the monotony besides the occasional rest area or fast food joint."

After poking fun of the traditional American vacation, the ad winds up with a pitch for coming to West Virginia to enjoy the state's recreational opportunities and small-town atmosphere.

The humdrum life campaign features people in everyday situations such as a father shaving in the morning with his two children hugging his legs and a man walking down a busy city street. As they look into the mirror or at a reflection in a vehicle, they see images of either a family camping vacation or a whitewater rafting trip.