"I don't do Utica"

[tanouryjr]

www.nypost.com/seven/12112008/news/regionalnews/caroline_equals_j_lo__dem_143651.htm

As pissed as this first made me, simply for making such a comment about our city, I have looked at it from a different angle now. I'm excited that someone down there at least knows we exist!

Now, I'm still pissed, but for another reason. For far too long, I thought the rest of the state was simply ignorant to the problems and corruption up here. This proves that they do know more than I thought, and they're still not doing anything about it...That's why I'm pissed, now!

[tanouryjr]

"This just reinforces my stance that we (residents and local officials) have long taken the wrong approach when trying to promote the area and gain influence. We continue to try to promote our region to OURSELVES, and not to other areas with more influence. Roscoe Conkling wasn't the most powerful politician in the country because he controled city or county jobs; he did it because he strategically put himself in a position to control federal port/post positions in NYC and other areas.

Furthermore, did anyone notice that he said 'Utica' and not the 'Mohawk Valley?' He probably doesn't know what the Mohawk Valley even is. So, although he used Utica as a bad term, he did know where UTICA was. That is the biggest battle in marketing. Now all we need to do is start promoting the City of Utica again, and getting leaders that know how to leverage themselves into positions of influence. That's it in a nutshell."

* The first person to realize the connection to this post earns a cookie, lol.

[dgriffin]

"Ackerman also joked that he had taken himself out of the running for the Senate in a way that appeared to highlight Kennedy's lack of statewide experience. He said he wouldn't want to replace Clinton "because I don't do Utica, and that's a qualification for the job."

I would almost take that in a positive way, Larry. The guy admits a senator has to deal with more than just downstate. That's a good thing.
I'm still not convinced that "promoting an area" helps. Sure, you need someone to concentrate on making sure Utica gets mentioned in front of owners who might want to locate their business here. But glossy brochures don't sell as much as low taxes, available and suitable real estate, transportation, workers, etc. You either have it or you need to get it. When the Erie Canal passed through Utica in the early 1800's, Saquoit could have published all the glossy brochures it could afford and held numerous PR events, but they would have still lost out.
The real purpose of a pretty brochure is to give to employees after the company locates in your town so that the workers will feel they just moved to a great area!

[dgriffin]

I'll bet Ackerman couldn't even find Utica. A typical story is from many years ago when I went to NY City to work. Speaking with a fellow one afternoon who asked me where I was from (my Utica twang was consistently misinterpreted as a "New England accent"), I told him Utica. "Utica!" he said with surprise, "that's WAY up north, isn't it?"
"Well ....." I began, but he interrupted me.
"I'll bet that's almost as far north as Poughkeepsie!"
He probably thought Po Keep kept its Indian name because the Indians were still in charge.

When my wife told a fellow worker in New York that she was from Watertown, the woman asked if she had a pet cow like all country dwellers.

My neighbor in Endicott was visited for a few days by his great aunt from upper Manhattan whose only knowledge of dwellings were high rise apartment buildings. On her last day in his small suburban home, she said to him, "Your home is lovely, Harry. But tell me, do you live in this house year round?" I guess if a house wasn't built of concrete and I-beams, she thought it was a camp.

[kim]

I dedicated a song to some people earlier on my blog. I just also dedicated that same song to that person.

People don't realize how big New York is. No clue at all. Most people think New York is the city, that's it.

[tanouryjr]

Dave, I understand what your saying but I never mentioned anything about "glossy brochures." Actually, that's what places like EDGE think is "marketing" and what they use to justify their overbloated budgets.

I guess my point is that our area already has name recognition with the name "Utica." Saying Utica doesn't mean just the Utica city limits, it encompasses all surrounding areas. When I lived in the Tampa area, there were MANY different smaller cities surrounding it. However, when you asked someone from Palm Harbor where they lived, they would say Tampa. It is a brand name.

There are two points to marketing (well, many others but I'll focus on two), getting your product's name KNOWN, then building it's reputation/credibility. This proves that we already have the name KNOWN. Now all we need to do is focus on building back its reputation. And that will be good for the WHOLE area. When the Canal was booming, the surrounding areas were proud to be lumped in with "Utica."

Here's an example I use: When I first decided to run for office, many "politicals" around me said I should change my last name to my mother's name. They said my father's name would destroy me. After thinking about this, I disagreed. My theory was that, for better or worse, one thing my name had was major name recognition. The only thing I needed to do was work to change the perception of the name and let people know who I was. In the end, I believe it worked.

[dgriffin]

Larry, I guess I assumed you would build the name recognition with something like PR and glossy brochures. So I'm in the dark as to what promotional vehicles you would use.

Regarding name recognition, your marketing theory seems perfectly correct. But as well as it works for retail items, I'm unconvinced it sells an area to employers. Name recognition might constantly bring the city to mind, and a positive spin on the name might bring a warm glow to the heart of an employer, but the factors I mentioned above produce real profits and losses, and nothing works better than good old arithmetic when talking to business men and women.

But I think we differ only slightly in methods. We would agree that the city needs BOTH good PR and economic advantages. My opinion, for what it's worth, is the latter matters more. And economic advantages are gained by smart planning and smart politicking with the state and feds. That's what I've seen, anyway. I have no idea how's it's really done. I probably wouldn't want to know.

[tanouryjr]

I think we are on the same page here, Dave. I agree that we need both aspects, and that the economic one is most important. The problem is that our taxes are so high due to spending so much money on these organizations (i.e. EDGE) that are actually promoting the wrong message and aren't doing a thing to change what's really wrong. Their very existence depends on us actually failing, so it makes me wonder if they will ever want us to succeed. If we were a booming area there would be no need for these patronage laden agencies, with bloated budgets, that only serve to protect the staus quo. In effect, it seems we are actually PAYING for our own demise.

[Ralph]

Yeah, what's NY City & LI compared to the rest of the state anyway.....LOL!

[Clipper]

Larry, I am glad you decided to KEEP your father's name. I would be proud to wear it if I were you. Even when your father made errors and used poor judgment in his personal life, he never lost sight of his goals as a politician, and he was never out of touch with his constituents. Your father did more for the city of Utica, even with his mistakes, than any of these morons that criticized and condemned him would EVER be capable of. No need to ever be ashamed of your dad OR his name. I, ALONE, as a recovered alcoholic carry the burden of shame for my actions in my younger days. There is no need for anyone else to carry his burden. It was many years ago, and his sins have been forgiven by his maker. He, I am sure, carries enough guilt for all, in his older and wiser years.

Your Dad did wonderful things for the City of Utica, and had he been able to finish what he started, the city would have further basked in the warmth of his dedication and love for the people of Utica.

My undying respect for your dad and the things he did, and tried to do, for the city, are part of why I am so proud to support you in any way I can in continuing his work, and his dedication to the people of Utica, and in your case, the people of Oneida County.

Keep up the good work. I am proud to know BOTH Larry Tanourys.

[dgriffin]

Ralph, one of my favorite New Yorker covers:

[dgriffin]

Dec 12, 2008 2:21:21 GMT -5 Ralph said:

Yeah, what's NY City & LI compared to the rest of the state anyway.....LOL!

Hahahaha! But you did the comparison by counting blades of grass (or cow pies), rather than people.

[dgriffin]

Dec 12, 2008 2:19:16 GMT -5 @tanouryjr said:

The problem is that our taxes are so high due to spending so much money on these organizations (i.e. EDGE) that are actually promoting the wrong message and aren't doing a thing to change what's really wrong. Their very existence depends on us actually failing, so it makes me wonder if they will ever want us to succeed.

Very interesting insight, Larry. And one worth remembering.

[corner]

you would th;;ink the congress man would know ;utica quite well isnt city hall wher God sticks the enema hose?

[petehats]

Look at this joker, he looks like a guy that would expose himself in alley ways to little kids, why get upset with this nit wit, he is from Queens or is it Queers, those people down there are so ignorant that they have to pay $8 just to cross a bridge, Manhattan and Long Island are the only decent places down there, the rest is a cess pool, people in Staten Island pay 500,000 for a 2 bedroom house that would go around 50000 up here, now if that ain't ignorant I do not know what is. If Ackerman ever came up to Utica we would leave him where we find him.