From the editor: A slogan for Cincinnati? We've had our share of clunkers

Aftab Pureval is a brave man.

On a recent appearance on The Enquirer’s That’s So Cincinnati podcast, the Cincinnati mayor floated the idea of developing a new brand for the city of Cincinnati, complete with slogan.

“The advantage we have is we're a bit of a blank canvas to the rest of the country, to the rest of the world,” he said, noting that the Bengals’ trip to the Super Bowl in 2022 sparked a renewed interest in how we promote ourselves on the national stage.

I say Pureval is brave because unveiling a new slogan is not for the faint of heart. Or thin-skinned.

Earlier this year, the state of Ohio dumped the oft maligned “Ohio. Find it Here,” the official state slogan since 2015, and resurrected “Ohio, The Heart of It All,” the safe, time-tested catch phrase that debuted in 1984. The reaction on social media was as snarky as you’d expect. “The Heart of Corruption,” was a recurring theme on Twitter, a nod to the racketeering trial of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder. “Fire your marketing team,” tweeted another underwhelmed Ohioan.

Although not an official slogan, “Get Your Cincy On,” part of an effort to kickstart regional tourism in 2021 as pandemic restrictions began to ease, was featured in a New York Times article under the headline, “Summertime … and the Sloganeering Is a Little Awkward.” Ouch.

Our search for a slogan “has been underway for more than 100 years, at least since 1909, when Cincinnati’s Advertiser’s Club jumped into the fray with a call for suggestions,” wrote local historian Greg Hand in an article published by Cincinnati Magazine. What did they come up with? “Cincinnati Supplies the World.” I guess you had to be there.

Despite some noble attempts – including “Where Pigs Fly” and “The City That Sings,” the latter an offshoot of Cincinnati serving as host of the World Choir Games in 2012 – nothing really has stuck. That’s why I’m more than a bit curious what might be in store as a new generation of big thinkers tackles the challenge of pinpointing the city’s brand – what we want potential tourists and new residents to think and feel when they hear the name Cincinnati – and a memorable phrase that captures that sentiment. It’s tricky work.

For every home run (think “Cleveland Rocks” and “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas”) there are hundreds of earnest attempts that quickly are forgotten or garner attention for all the wrong reasons. One of my favorite perennials when someone compiles a list of the worst city slogans is Walla Walla, Washington: “The City So Nice, They Named It Twice.” And since I love a good dad joke, I present Yuma, Arizona: “Experience Our Sense of Yuma.”

In 2006, The Enquirer’s Chuck Martin, who wrote features and covered Cincinnati’s food scene, crafted a tongue-in-cheek list of slogans for the city to consider. His list included, “Offering Breathtaking Views of the Northern Kentucky Skyline” and “At Least There’s Graeter’s.”

On Twitter, I shared a link to our podcast with Mayor Pureval and solicited slogan ideas. Our followers did not disappoint:

• Cincinnati: We Should Have Gone With Porkopolis

• Cincinnati: Chili Capital of America

• Cincinnati: Come See Us Argue About Which Side of Town is Better

• Cincinnati: Sure, Why Not?

Yes, everyone’s a comedian, but there’s a lesson here.

If we’re serious about a slogan, let’s not take ourselves too seriously. The last thing we need is something Hallmark-ish or vacuous, like, “Chase Your Dreams,” or “Together for a Better Tomorrow.”

Say Nashville, people think Music City.

Say New York, people immediately envision the iconic “I (Heart) NY” brand.

What do we want the rest of the world to think when someone says Cincinnati?

Enquirer Executive Editor Beryl Love writes a biweekly column that takes you behind the scenes at The Enquirer. Occasionally, he shares his thoughts on local issues, particularly as they pertain to a free press and open government. Email him at blove@enquirer.com. He can’t respond personally to every email, but he reads them all.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Enquirer editor Beryl Love shares thoughts on a slogan for Cincinnati