This is Part LVI of My Stupid State where I document what happens when a state full of Democrats elect a veto-proof, right-wing legislature along with a teabag, CRIMINAL governor to lead us. (Once again, yes--an actual bona-fide criminal who literally stole from seniors, who subsequently elected him.) This is my documentation of my beloved but idiotic state's slow descent into chaos.
For those few left in this state who will admit to voting for Rick Scott, one justification was "yeah, he's a crook, but at least he's got bizzzzness savvy".
Let me dissuade you of any remaining hint of competence.
I give you Rick Scott, who along with his "Enterprise Florida", paid $205,000 for a new logo/brand to lure companies to the Sunshine State.
TA-DA!!
Rick Scott then proceeded to spend $380,000 on an advertising blitz to promote this piece of $*&+.
Yet besides the obvious question of "Why the hell did this cost so damn much", there were other problems with the logo.
For starters, women executives across Florida were not amused. Maybe in the 1950s this would have worked, but an orange necktie isn't exactly appealing to women executives. This is particularly offensive since Florida ranks 4th in the nation for woman-owned businesses and outpaces the national average by nearly 50 percent.
More than one columnist has suggested adding to the tagline: "Florida is the perfect climate for business... if you're a man.
The chief marketing officer for Enterprise Florida vigorously defended this logo, saying "the agency would never intentionally do anything to set out to offend women."
(I'm no marketing guru like these guys, but I'm pretty sure if a rollout of a campaign has to include the words "would never intentionally do anything to offend"--is probably an indication it wasn't the best choice.)
OH.. and this being the Scott administration, you know this only gets a lot worse.
The company that won was the ONLY FREAKING OUT-OF-STATE firm that bid!:
Huffington Post
Despite a mission to "facilitate job growth for Florida’s businesses and citizens," Enterprise Florida paid Nashville, Tennessee firm North Star Destination Strategies $205,000...The only bid from out of state
Wow. The only thing that would make that smart even worse
IS THIS:
North Star's pitch was $76,000 higher than Tampa’s woman-owned ChappellRoberts, the next closest competitor, reports Biz Journals.
You read that right: A woman-owned business, right here in Florida, lost out to a Tennessee company which
significantly overbid them.
But to be fair, if you really want a sexist logo, you never let dames do it.
Despite being offensive to local businesses, women executives, and local businesses owned by women, there is the other small matter that this logo just plain sux. Don't take my word for it. (As I said, I'm no marketing guru). But do take the word of the former global brand designer for Procter & Gamble, Ed Burghard. He said it was more than just "potentially off-putting" to women, it was also lame:
NBC News
"A generic brand statement as a tagline is a throw away, particularly when it is a blatant overstatement. In my opinion, 'The Perfect Climate For Business' provides no relevant point of difference for CEOs to associate with Florida," he wrote. "Positioning Florida as the perfect business climate is puffery."
Plus, it's just plain outdated in an age when many businesses — particularly in steamy Florida — are "rejecting ties as required dress code," he wrote.
Rick Scott and Enterprise Florida seem to be going ahead with it despite the blowback, but at least the good ole boys at the firm got the message and decided to include some women in their release of the video.
And by women, I mean in the background. Sometimes.
And just their legs.... (look. real. hard.)