Is Carbondale trying to tap in to the power of smart mobs?
Not really. But word on the street is that the city IS trying to create buzz around its newest slogan, "Haven't you Heard?" (This is old news for readers of another blog in town.)
In her Southern article on the "'phenomenon'", (Since I quote a word that was itself quoted, I put in an extra set of single quote marks just to be safe.) Nicole Sack writes that, "If imitation is the best form of flattery, the campaign is on the right track. Copycats of 'Haven't you heard' have surfaced since the unveiling in August." Sources close to the latin proverb in question indicate that imitation is actually the "sincerest" form of flattery, not the "best". Unless you think E.D. Hirsch is a punk. In which case, I'll have no truck with you.
A question is raised: Can Carbondale's buzzmakers point to an article about their buzzmaking as another sign of how much buzz is being made? It's like that old saying: If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears the sound, how many flyers with "Haven't you heard?" printed on them can you make out of that tree?
Which brings us back to the city's new slogan.
At this point, it looks as though Carbondale and its slogan are a brand in search of a metaphor. As local leaders seek to accrue rhetorical significance around their new branding, why not web-empower that search? It's the next step in collaboration technology, so says an article from BusinessWeek Online.
I suggest creating a website that lets users write their own answer to the city's evocative question. Perhaps as part of a contest to find the best one? Winner gets her own, personal TIF district!
My contribution? "Haven't you Heard? Carbondale had me at hello."
Carbondale, throw in a package of sea monkeys and I'll come up with something better.
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