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So Exactly Where Is Pensacola? Maybe Not In Florida
September 11, 2012
The City of Pensacola, recently rebranded as “The Upside of Florida”, may not actually be in Florida at all – at least according to a TV ad developed by the city’s advertising agency.
The city’s new advertising agency, the Zimmerman Agency in Tallahassee, created the TV ad that appears to show the Pensacola International Airport located somewhere much closer to Gulfport, Mississippi, than to Pensacola.
“I guess we are trying to fool people in New Orleans into flying out of Pensacola. It appears our city has moved westward,” Pensacola city council member Maren DeWeese wrote on her blog.
The agency plans to correct the error.
Production cost for the ad was $8,000, and a July though September placement totaled $44,884.25, according to Derek Cosson, public information officer for the City of Pensacola. The purchases were made with airport revenue, not general fund revenue.
“The airport is now actually saving money on their advertising as they no longer have to pay a commission on production and placement with our new agency,” Cosson said.
The Zimmerman Agency recently developed a new brand for Pensacola that abandons the longtime “City of Five Flags” in favor of “Pensacola: The Upside of Florida”. The firm was chosen over local agencies to market the city to the tune of over $1.2 million a year.
There’s a new Zimmerman-created logo too, with the “O” in Pensacola replaced by what is described as an emerald wave. The new logo will be pasted on the upside, and the backside, of water towers, city vehicles, signs, websites and more.
Comments
49 Responses to “So Exactly Where Is Pensacola? Maybe Not In Florida”
Why not use a local ad agency?
So if they are spending close to $45,000, why didn’t Zimmerman Agency show them the final ad to approve before making it public? Common sense would say yes. I mean…it’s $45,000!!!!
Didn’t they get a chance to preview the ad before it went public?
I’m still trying to figure out what is inside the O. I get the wave, but whats with the circle on top of it? Looks like a fetus or someting.
I believe the city images is not in the best interest of the community for that blue block advertisement shown on tv this am. No references to Beaches, NAS, NAS Museum or any inclusion of community pride just the city of Pensacola and nothing else exist here except Pensacola. That’s sad.. I think that we need to incoperate all escambia into a city and name it so there’s no reference to the city of Pensacola. Let that city stand alone and in time relocate a county offices within the new city of Escambia Florida. Let thoes people destroy the city image and stand by themselves.
And people don’t understand why there is no groth of business in the city. Just look at there non community pride. Just think they even ticked off UWF and they didn’t do the UWF development adjacent to the Ball park because of there non community pride.
Gorilla Marketing….The new you…Doesn’t matter if the Airport is international or not….just say it is…..sounds much more impressive….What happened to truth in advertising?…Doesn’t matter, he writes the rules—Strong Mayor…..Our Loss….My out-of-town buddies are getting a good laugh out of this ‘Big Me’ false impression. We lost Bob Snow because the studies showed that the Bayfront/Govt St intersection was dangerous….Now we pay for more studies and it turns out to be safe? Smoke & Mirrors.
Lookin’ more like Chicago politics every day. Can we vote out this Strong Mayor Idea?
Why didn’t the city choose a local ad agency? I can think of at least two that are worthy of the city’s business.
I was drinking my coffee this am and saw this blue block commerical about Pensacola. It wasn’t very impressive no humans, showing nothing much about why people would want to come here. I guess the the city has no sence of community is the reason for such liminted information. They still show Pensacola closer to New Orleans than here. I have a 14 year old grandson that has done better power point presentation than that commercial. Maby Hayward should have used the school system to produce these commercials and saved that wasted money and giving students a sence of community pride for advertising devolpment. O that’s wright we even have to colleges here that could help with that too.
Instead of actually addressing any issues, we’ve just renamed them. We don’t even have international flights. The only businesses we’ve even attracted are more bars. As if alchoholism wasn’t bad enough here to begin with.
So we hired an outside agency that doesn’t even know where our airport is? Money well spent…
If this is the upside of Florida…………..
Florida is in worse shape than i thought !
Sent a few questions to the Mayor’s office a few weeks ago.
Asked if the monument displaying the 5 flags on Bayfront Pkwy was to be removed as I’d heard. Reply from the City was that the 5 flags would continue to fly at City Hall, Civic Center and Police Headquarters. No mention of Bayfront being continued to greet residents and visitors. My guess is few people really see the flags at the other locations. Seems A.H. the Mayor plans to bulldoze the Bayfront monument and put up his silly looking bumper sticker of “Upside”.
Asked if the Police and Fire Dept would have to change their badges as some friends had said they understood. Reply was they would remain the same unique and good looking shields. We’ll see if that remains true as A.H’s person says.
Asked about the “Pensacola International Airport” when you cannot fly outside the USA from here on a direct flight. Reply said that the package carriers like UPS and others fly parcels from here directly out of the USA. Added that the Customs Agents were on call in case a private aircraft arrived from out of the USA or was going from here to another nation. Not sure how many of us regular folks do that high fancy flying but am sure some of the big money folks here do it all the time but hardly anything worthy of renaming the airport to something that it is not. We have a Regional Airport.
Seems there is an answer for most anything you’d care to ask but none of them make much sense.
Wonder how much the City pays to Gulf Power each month for the utilities at the Ball Park…?
“Pensacola the Upside of Florida”….never had anyone give me a good answer about what the heck that dumb statement makes.
Future of the area is geotourism and the downtown needs to improve the historic areas……taking down the 5 Flags is not the way to promote that opportunity.
I know you’re all upset, and rightfully so.
But on the Upside of things, we can sleep well at night knowing that we have trained professionals looking after our interests.
they should slap the mayor UPSIDE his head.
Not mentioned in the article is that they have changed the name of the city owned natural gas company formerly known as Energy Services of Pensacola (ESP) to Pensacola Energy.
I heard that they are thinking about changing he name of City Sanitation to Pensacola Garbage.
So when is the election? I think the people of Pensacola should look to replace the mayor…just like he replaced what has been the trade mark logo of Pensacola. The “City of Five Flags” will always be the true name for Pensacola.
If a local advertising team would have been picked, perhaps local insight to what the CIty of Five Flag statement means to people of Escambia County.
I am all about rebranding, but there needs to be substance behind the remarks. International Airport? Now the Upside of Florida…what is the upside mean…the top side…the better side…? Not sure when politians will learn to leave historic event alone. To get a clear view of where you need to go, you need a reference, and the past (good or bad) has always been a good point to track on.
Meanwhile, firefighters are having to live in and work out of a decaying, moldy firehouse. Hey, but at least the “international” airport police are wearing their “non-offensive” pants now and we’ve got back-in parking downtown all while getting to be called “the upside of Florida”, whatever that is. (were we the “downside” before?)
This mayor is the biggest joke in town.
Did any of you even read the article before you started complaining? Almost all of your complaints are answered in the article.
City of Five flags may have history, but it hasn’t translated into any progress. The unwillingness to try anything new is the primary reason why Pensacola is 20 years behind where it should be.
Zimmerman agency is the same one that purchased the big yacht in Destin for their Marketing campaign. Good Luck!!
Good grief. Everyone knows that Pensacola is actually located in southeast Alabama, not Mississippi.
I believe the funds are from BP Oil Spill Lawsuit funds-not taxpayer dollars.
Ive got an even better idea to use some county money. How about give the FACILITIES MAINTENANCE dept a RAISE which they haven’t gotten for TWO YEARS! I know because my husband works for them. Instead, they cry they have no money for that, but out of the very same pot of money, they choose to build a 10 million dollar building!!! Crooks I tell you! Every last one of them within Escambia county. My husband makes less than $20,000 a year. I’d say that’s ridiculous for a county employee. Shameful in fact. While county higher ups WASTE so much money it makes me sick! SMH
The “City of Pensacola” has always and will always sell out their employees, their residents, and their heritage …… for anything
thank goodness none of the commentors are in advertising. As for Maren DeWeese, she will seek any opportunity to try and make the Mayor look bad as she lays the groundwork for her run for the job.
The people who run this town, the one’s who write the big checks know the real deal. Mayor Hayward has Pensacola moving forward and has the right support to make it happen. DeWeese is a just a tick on the dog.
As one of the dreaded ‘non-natives’ (we came here with the military) I can see one ‘upside’ of this. I was shocked when I moved here at the display of the confederate flag…in an OFFICIAL fashion, logos, fiesta…all the rest. The south seems to be tone deaf to the signal that sends to the rest of the world…and it’s not a positive one! Heritage is one thing, offending half the world when you are hoping for their travel dollars is a whole other thing.
great! we spend money to hire an advertising agency that is going to send people to mobile.
Its a good thing the county doesn’t have a governing system like in the city. I would move to Alabama. The county cronies are bad enough. These new wave of outsiders meaning non native floridians have strange visions of the city. They dont want to change history they want it to be lost.
What’s ashame is the county poured millions of dollars in court houses and county offices in the city. If not for thoes building there wouldn’t be much traffic downtown.
Just think.
The city of the upside. HaHaHaHaHa
The upside treasure hunt. HHaHaHaHa
The upside music fest. HaHaHaHa
The upside landing. HaHaHaHa
The upside festival. HaHaHaHa
The new upside ball park. HaHaHaHa
Just think they will tear down thoes on dumb flages entering from Gulf Breeze and put a fetes wave in its place. HaHaHaHa
They will spend another couple hundred thousand on thoes flags with that fetes wave on all thoes light poles. HaHaHaHa
Maynard G. Krebs couldn’t have thought of that change.
I think Hayward needs to go see a shrink to determin if he is capable of managing the city.
It actually looks like they have the airport in Mobile, and the Mississippi coast is entirely missing from the map.
As for the mayor, where is he from?
Having moved here in recent years, so considering myself an outsider I can completely see how those born and raised here would be offended by these changes because they are somewhat offensive to me. Part of your heritage and upbringing is dissapearing because of progression and forward movement? Nope, I would call it a WASTE of tax dollars and a feable attempt to stay fresh, but not exactly sure at what? I get that you need to reconsider thing and stay in the game so to speak, but the “City of Five Flags” has such history and that should never be forgotten.
When I moved here I took great care in teaching my children all about the wonderful history and rich heritage that this wonderful commuinty had and still has to offer. Instead of concentrating on negativity how about we concentrate on the positive that we still have and focus on how we as a community can still benefit from our Western gate and sunshine state that we should celebrate not distance ourselves from Major!!
Almost as bad as the state map that was passed out at Welcome Centers a few years back that totally OMITTED all the Panhandle. Fortunately this was caught after a few months of embarrassment.
I am at a loss of WHY would you waste money in this economic time on something so , um, idiotic. Why didnt someone with some common sense speak up and say something. Why not have given this money to fix somethings that needed fixing or just donate it to the schools for disability children, help update their equipment. Or give the local police a raise in salary, a bonus maybe.
What does it matter on ther little tourist map where Pensacola is ? The leaders of Pensacola/Escambia have let the business people pass us by, Malbis and Destin is where its at..
I’m not sure what the City of Pensacola’s plan for the future holds. Everytime I fly in & out of the new Pensacola International airport (renaming & branding) I realize it’s still the same. No International flights that I could find. Why don’t we use some of that money to fix what’s wrong here before we pretend we are somewhere else or somebody else.
The upside of Florida? Has the Ashton Hayward been to Pensacola in….. say the last 50 years?
“Pensacola: Home of the Surfing Fetus!” Just look at the logo
Idiotic. The whole change was stupid and now look what they’ve wasted money on.
@ Oliver – “Mayor Zoolander”
That is just hilarious, man. Lately, I’ve been thinking the same thing.
WHAT THE HECK……………………., The Up Side Of Florida……………
WHO VOTED ON THIS NAME, SOUNDS DUMB TO ME,
City of five flags or the western gate of the sunshine state IS THE NAME KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD FOR PENSACOLA FL, WHY CHANGE IT NOW ????????
AND THEY CAN’T EVEN GET THE LACATION RIGHT, FOR 1.2 MILLION PRICE TAG………………………………..KEEP THE ORIGINAL NAME, CITY OF FIVE FLAGS OR
THE WESTERN GATE OF THE SUNSHINE STATE
Thank you William for this great article!! And I totally agree with all previous comments, except the hilarious part. It’s not funny to me at all.
Ever since this up-side of Florida crap came out I have been up-set. I keep thinking it will go away, or it is just a bad dream. Being born and raised here, I think this is one of the worst changes ever. We have ALWAYS been the “City of Five Flags”, it is our legacy. I’m glad I don’t live within the city limits, except for the fact I can’t vote against this “Out of Towner Strong Uppity Mayor” that has been elected – he can’t even claim to be a transplant! I guess next he will want to change the names of Deluna Fest or the Fiesta of Five Flags to cooler more hip names.
Oh, and while I am on the subject, he stuck his nose in the Police Department’s Canine Officers wearing their normal attire at the airport because it might scare tourists away. I think it makes tourists feel safer and shows that law enforcement is on top of their game. I know when I see these officers here or in other airports, malls, events, etc. dressed appropriately, I feel much safer, not scared or frightened! And the kids love to see them too!
And thanks for the picture of the new Map – had not seen this part of the add until today, adds to the LA concept – that people say we are part of lower Alabama.
I hope that they will fix the map now that their error has been discovered; but I won’t hold my breath waiting!
Does the new brand infer that the rest of the state is the downside?
Huh? See why we love northescambia.com?We got to hear this as soon as it happened! Does Pensacola benefit from taxes paid in the north end of the county? Pray God, I hope not!
A thought ..If it ain’t broken don’t fix it.
Upside … down.
Pensacola will always be the City of Five Flags. Before Mayor Hayward and long after he’s gone. You just can’t change history.
THANK YOU for posting this! This has been such a HOT BUTTON for me!
It is NOT just $82,000+ dollars! It is $82,000+ thousand AND $1.3 million doled out over the next three years of OUR tax dollars that the mayor has handed over to an NON Local Marketing Firm, when there are many Local Firms that can compete with a cutting edge.
Mayor Ashton Hayward made the Rebranding effort with no input from Pensacola City Residents. While our city does need to move forward, and progress and build, there are many other areas which need attending to, which could and would lead to economic growth and building. I do believe it would behoove the mayor to seek the input of his constituents as WELL as his Council Members, on ‘Rebranding efforts’ that are made without our knowledge YET with our tax dollars. I would like an input please!
Your Tax Dollars At Work!!
What a waste of money. Who makes these dumb decisions? Oh, that’s right, Pensacola has a strong mayor & he gets 2 make all the decisions & do what he wants 2 no matter if it’s good 4 the citizens or not. Maybe if he spent some time here, he would know where the city is located. Smh
Thank you for this article. Embarrassing and hilarious at the same time. Mayor Zoolander and the Zimmerman agency is a MAJOR JOKE!!!!
City of five flags or the western gate of the sunshine state worked for me.
I don’t understand the need for re-branding.
The pictorial part works but ‘upside’?????