Marketing America: The ‘United States of Awesome Possibilities’

Zachary Roth
·Senior National Affairs Reporter

Say hello to the "United States of Awesome Possibilities."

That's the tagline for a new ad campaign designed to promote the U.S. of A., an effort to boost business and leisure travel in order to spur economic growth, Advertising Age reports.

The campaign, set to launch next year, is the brainchild of the Corporation for Travel Promotion (CTP), a private-public partnership formed to encourage tourism, with a marketing budget of $200 million. The corporation calls the push "the first-ever coordinated global marketing effort dedicated to welcoming international travelers to the United States."

The group said in a press release that the dots in the campaign's logo, shown above, create a "21st-century brand" which "symboliz[es] the boundless possibilities of the U.S.," as well as representing America's "diversity."

The campaign also features a website that gives foreign travellers some useful tips about American life and culture.

For instance, it warns: "Health care is superior in the US but it can be very expensive because there is no universal health care."

The site also cautions that "some banking networks charge fees of $1-2 per transaction," for ATM withdrawals. (In fact, some charge $3.)

And: "Be aware that Americans are fanatics about showering and hygiene."

"What is so compelling about the United States is that no one thing can explain who we are as a nation," CTP's Chris Perkins said in a statement. "Each visitor and each experience helps create the fabric of American culture, and Brand USA embodies this spirit. When we launch our global marketing and advertising campaign next year, we will be able to reach audiences around the world by showcasing the best of America and spreading the message that we welcome visitors with open arms." So long as they've showered, at least.

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