"Visit My Baltimore" is Gaining Steam - And, in a Good Way with Videos

When Baltimore's GET IN ON IT campanign launched last year I was dubious. And on national television, so was Jay Leno (he laughed at the concept and the $500,000 paid to San Francisco-based Landor & Associates), Regis Philbin (he was so puzzled and confused by the concept he couldn't even say the phase), David Letterman was even less kind. Even Baltimore's very own William Donald Schafer, former Mayor and Maryland Govenour, rang in through his spoksperson saying, "I've seen some dumb ones in the past, but this is the dumbest." Was he thinking of an earlier attempt to brand Baltimore as: THE CITY THAT READS?

So when the GET IN ON IT people announced that they were opening up a section of their site so regular folks could upload videos about what makes Baltimore special to them, I was even more dubious. What would the citizens of Charm City post that the rest of the country could make fun of?

Apparently I shouldn't have been concerned at all. Here's just one example of the clever videos that have been posted.

Take a look at some of these little gems. Many are so delightful that they could take us back to the Charm City days.

And then, wonder along with me if all of Baltimore wouldn't have been better served by calling on locals to produce these kinds of things and offering a purse of $50,000 to each of the ten best rather than sending off half-a-million bucks to a company based out west.

I'm betting that even John Waters would have entered. And, wouldn't that have been a wonderful thing?

Oh yes, if you haven't seen this tribute to William Donald Schafer you should. Yep, it's biased in his favor just as Schafer's support and promotion of Baltimore is biased to the Nth degree in our favor.

Comments

[Cham]

I'm planning a rat video for the contest. We'll get the fun little buggers to run up and down the historic streets. Might as well get the locals to do their own showcase.

[Stephen]

CHAM... Fun stuff. I have a tech question: Who will be holding the video camera... I was thinking one of the Pigtown Pigs on their run. Though you'll do! Keep 'em coming, my friend. I haven't had many comments on this little blog and yours is certainly the best.
Thanks so, Stephen