MILWAUKEE (AP) — No more slogans. No more logos. Just fun.
That's what the Wisconsin Department of Tourism is concentrating on to promote the state. Tourism officials hope a native son who was one of the directors of the outrageous comedy films "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun" can amp up the fun in a new tourism commercial that will start airing Wednesday in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul.
David Zucker, who graduated from Shorewood High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, directed the 30-second commercial he describes as "undignified." The "Winter Wonderland" commercial features the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performing the winter classic as snow gently falls. Without giving too much away, things veer out of control from there.
The commercial reflects Wisconsin's special something and its wacky people, said Zucker, who lives in Brentwood, Calif., but visits friends and family in the Milwaukee area about once a year.
"It's the ability to laugh at ourselves that makes us a little different in Wisconsin," he said.
Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett said the state has had five different slogans, including "Life's so Good" and "Live Like You Mean It," in the last 15 years. Their research shows the top three motivators for tourists are fun, rest and relaxation, and visiting friends and family. Concentrating on fun sets the state apart from competing states of Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan, she said.
"It is a differentiator, not having that slogan," Klett said. "How can you argue with fun?"
Illinois' tag line is "Illinois. Mile After Magnificent Mile," which it's used since 2004. Jan Kostner, deputy director of the Illinois Office of Tourism, said the state doesn't have a campaign currently, but will have a spring-summer campaign. She said the state has been using the theme "There is a Place," which showcases the depth and breadth of Illinois, including its heritage, natural wonders, shopping, theater and architecture. The office's advertising budget for 2012 is $15 million.
Minnesota's slogan is "More to Explore in Minnesota," which was launched in March and will continue this year. Its budget in 2012 is nearly $8.4 million. One commercial notes it is the land of "10,000 things to do" and it highlights winter and summer activities, art, theater, and Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer.
Michigan's campaign is "Pure Michigan" and its 2012 budget is $25 million. The state's winter commercials concentrate on snow and have a nostalgic tone, with the announcer in one saying, "Remember snow day? When the schools were closed and the day was wide open. The first step into fresh powder was like stepping into a new world."
Wisconsin officially launched its "fun" marketing campaign last summer with three 30-second TV spots, including one featuring actor Henry Winkler. This year, tourism officials hope to produce two summer spots, with one featuring actor Tony Shalhoub, a Green Bay native.
Klett said they tried to keep the winter commercial focused and simple. She said no one speaks in any of the recent commercials and no one will in the summer ones.
Wisconsin's budget for tourism marketing in 2011 was $12.5 million, up from $9.9 million. It's increased to $15 million for 2012. The extra money will be used to air more commercials, Klett said.
She said the state also is reopening visitor centers along busy interstates in an effort to improve customer service and visitors' overall impressions.
In 2009, the department stopped operating the eight welcome centers around the state due to budget cuts, but has since partnered with local tourism groups to reopen seven of them near busy interstates, including Beloit and La Crosse in 2011, said Joellyn Merz, technology and customer services director at the state tourism department. The others are in Kenosha, Marinette, Platteville, Prairie du Chien and Superior. They hope to create a similar partnership in Hudson to reopen that one near the Minnesota border, Merz said.
"It's important for Wisconsin in all ways to have a great image because when you have a great image in tourism it will translate ...I want to retire here, I want move here," Klett said. "We want a life-long relationship with our visitors."
The state got discounts and fees waived to do the commercial, amounting to about $125,000 in savings, said Deputy Tourism Secretary Dave Fantle. That includes the fees for the orchestra, the Riverside Theater where it was filmed and Marcus Theatres. The chain plans to run a one-minute version at no cost in 450 of its Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois screens for a month.
Zucker donated his reduced $10,000 fee toward a tree planting organization in Los Angeles.
Zucker said his dream in high school was to make funny commercials, before he got into filmmaking. So he jumped at the chance to do the ad. He said he's done a few other commercials, including a promo for the Michael J. Fox show "Spin City." Zucker, a big Packers fan, would love to direct a Super Bowl commercial one day.
"I don't actively pursue it," he said. "My time is taken up with writing a couple movies, I'm producing another one, but I can always make time if the offer comes through."
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