Must-Unsee TV
I thought I'd track down the video that they made to go with that odd newspaper ad that "Travel Portland" ran in the big city newspaprers on Sunday. It's on YouTube, here.
It's every bit as strange as the newspaper ad. Like a high school class project, only weaker, and a lot more expensive.
How this is supposed to attract anyone with spendable cash to come here and spend said cash is beyond me. The whole thing just screams, "We're trying to whitewash something bad."
And then there's "We like it this way," and "We've always been like this." Both lies.
Between what it cost to produce and what it cost to buy newspaper ad space, that thing has to have run in the high six figures. It would be interesting to see who got paid. Some rubes at the O got sucked into running the number $100,000. Guess again, kids.
Anyway, now I'm even more embarrassed to live here than I was yesterday. But I did learn something. As a commenter on YouTube pointed out, "Portland Oregon" is an anagram for "Garden Tool Porn."
Just the voice over on the video is enough to turn anyone off. OK.......I have no issue with promotion, but why the need to appeal to the twenty-something crowd in everything? The group with the most disposable income (for travel purposes) is likely the middle-aged demographic. Or families looking to have memorable experiences in a somewhat safe environment.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that any big city dwellers in S.F., NYC, or Los Angeles will be impressed with this ad campaign as they have plenty of their own locals who fit into the “weird” category. And I am pretty sure that they have their own brands of ice cream and beer. Portland is a victim of it’s own self promotion. No one really cares outside the people that try to keep the myth going.
Checked out the YouTube video. Seems like they're trying to appeal to the 30 something hipster class. For the life of me, I can't see how this add would motivate a family of four to spend their hard earned cash and visit.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, I've traveled all over the world. Been to 75 countries and 5 continents. When I first started to travel abroad and was asked where I was from, I'd tell the Portland, Oregon. This usually resulted in a quizzical look. I'd ask them if they knew where Los Angeles was and then tell them that Portland is about 1500 km north of LA. Sometimes they replied, "Oh, Seattle!" After awhile I just started lying and told them Los Angeles. Made it much easier. It made me think however, that contrary to what a lot of people in Portland believe, this city is not the center of the known universe. That may have changed somewhat in the last year as Portland was showcased on the world stage for its 100 day of peaceful protests (cough, cough, riots).
You are so right. No one cares about Portland......even less so now. There was a time way back when most locals liked it like that. We were too busy enjoying our own little secret to feel the need to puff ourselves up into something that we weren’t.
DeleteMaybe it is a case of being so geographically distant from the rest of the US bigger cities. Along comes the “Twitter Generation” and they have to find meaning in every little mundane thing. Even where they live is something to promote and something to find self-worth in.
But that’s funny about having to explain where Portland is and finally just giving up. I remember some thirty five years ago I lived in Boston and my boss asked where I was from. He assumed Maine when I said Portland and when I corrected him he said “Oh yeah, I hear they have cows walking down the middle of the street there.” I just gave up after that.
Just came back and looked at the picture you posted. Now I'm wondering if Portland is being described by what being covered by the sign?
ReplyDeleteAlready parodied. https://youtu.be/gSDl93O1pLQ
ReplyDeleteWell, that's actually a more accurate portrayal.
DeletePortland has always been handicapped by its own ego... people believing this was the best place in the world, unrivaled in all ways. It has blocked real progress... and I am amused when I hear people still spouting the same lies. Do they not realize what last summer's devastation of downtown did to us? No -- so many will look you right in the eye and say it's "not that bad" or it's "overblown." My goodness, people -- the city is coming apart. People are getting gunned down every night and we look like a depression-era city with all those shacks and tents alongside our freeways and roads. AND OUR GOVERNMENT DOESN'T DO A DAMN THING ABOUT IT!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing everyone complaining will still vote progressive Democrat- cause we just have to prevent them "others" from possibly adding some balance to the slate.
ReplyDelete