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March 27, 2024

CT tourism officials scrap ‘Find Your Vibe’ campaign for ‘Make It Here’ branding

HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER Anthony Anthony, the state’s chief marketing officer, at the Parkville Market.
By Michael Puffer

Connecticut’s tourism department is replacing the “Find Your Vibe” campaign adopted in 2021, with the “Make It Here” brand that was launched in October to promote the state as a quality place to live, work and play.

Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut Chief Marketing Officer Anthony Anthony announced the $1.5 million Make it Here campaign in October, aiming to improve the state’s image with residents, potential residents and businesses considering locating in the state.

That gave the state two separate branding efforts. Find Your Vibe was created to promote tourism to both in-state and out-of-state residents.

Lamont announced the adoption of a unified "Make it Here" campaign Wednesday. 

"As we continue on this exciting jjourney with the 'Make it Here' campaign, we're not just promoting tourism, we're celebrating the essence of Connecticut -- the spirit of innovation, creativity and community that defines use," Lamont said in a release issued Wednesday. "From bustling cityscapes to serene landscapes, Connecticut offers an unparalleled experience for visitors and residents alike." 

Anthony shared the new, common theme during a conference at Hartford’s Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts Wednesday.

“I think what’s important is that integrated strategy,” Anthony told the Hartford Business Journal. “It’s that message of recognizing how tourism is leading the charge for us to tell both our current residents and out-of-state residents why they can make it here, how they can make it here, why the quality of life is so fantastic.”

Anthony told the audience at Wednesday’s tourism conference that business site selectors used to place the cost of conducting business and available government incentives at the top of their criteria. Following the pandemic, that has shifted to workforce availability and quality of life, he said.

That “makes Connecticut extremely well-positioned to benefit and keep on building on this moment,” Anthony said.

The new tourism campaign will feature advertisements with phrases like “make up for lost time,” “make a splash,” and “make an entrance.” These will be accompanied by scenes like a family hiking, a seaplane landing and a UConn basketball player making a slam-dunk.

The state’s tourism and marketing departments are nominally separate entities run by separate directors. Anthony, formerly communications director for Gov. Ned Lamont, was hired last March to the newly created position of statewide marketing director to better coordinate the efforts of the two divisions, which now report to him.

Last month, Lamont named Rachel Lenda as the new director of the Connecticut Office of Tourism.

This year, the tourism and marketing divisions’ staff is increasing by two to nine employees. The team will refocus on getting out into communities and engaging with municipalities, businesses and residents to create authentic advertising and stories that are engaging, active, relatable and relevant, Anthony said.  

The state’s outreach efforts will also focus on social media and online campaigns, including a new website, CTMakeItHere.com, which will launch with new content in May, Anthony said. 

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