Tourists Too Dumb To Know What Pajamas Are

A little after 9/11, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corp. launched the “Philly’s more fun when you sleep over” campaign, aimed at boosting sagging hotel occupancy rates. The ad series apparently worked, but it’s been quite a while, so the day after the mayoral election the GPTMC’s going to roll out a new campaign.

And why, after so long, has the campaign gotten a little stale? Well, it’s because the international symbol for sleep — a dude in pajamas, perhaps dancing all around Center City while singing a catchy tune — is just too hard for potential tourists to comprehend.

Levitz did acknowledge that the “Philly’s more fun” campaign had started to show its age. The campaign featured people, ranging from the campaign’s hired “Pajama Guy” Jim Malone to Mayor John F. Street, in red pajamas.

Focus groups, conducted in six cities, showed that people were confused by the whole concept of pajamas.

“People didn’t even know what pajamas were anymore. They’d say, ‘What is he wearing?’” Levitz said. “People didn’t want to see Pajama Guy. They just wanted to see more photos of the city and countryside.”

Man. We gotta put these tourists on the duck boats they love so much and teach those idiots what pajamas are.

Phila. unveils new tourism ad campaign [Philadelphia Business Journal]
Philly: The Musical [YouTube]
August 20: Tourists Deserve Your Scorn As Much As You Thought

Tourists Deserve Your Scorn As Much As You Thought

The Convention & Visitors Bureau has set up a website for tourists to share their views of Philadelphia. Travelers to our fair city can send in stories, photos and video about their trip.

KYW 1060 asked tourists just what they love about Philadelphia, and their answers are predictably saddening:

[EVP Jack Ferguson, on comments:] “Some of the pictures of ‘Ride the Ducks’ are some of the best pictures you ever saw — because people are happy and they’re quacking away, and they want to tell people about it.”

Here are some of the comments already received — and people sure do love those ducks!

(Man:) “I’m really excited to be here, and I’m looking forward to riding the duck.”
(Woman:) “We loved it so much; we came back and took the duck tour.”

Yes, yes, a trip to Philadelphia is not complete unless you do the most historic tour of all, Ride the Ducks. Or, alternatively, the other one, the one Milton Street drives or whatever. Oh, and don’t forget that other one, the shark one, if that still exists. Frankly, I could find these things out, but any effort put into the duck boats is too much.

Your Philadelphia Comments and Photos Are Invited [KYW 1060]

Finally, That Damn Game Isn’t Here This Year

Philadelphia might do well, tourism-wise, with the gays, but apparently it doesn’t have much of an international identity. People are just as likely to think of the city with “little strength” from the Bible or something.

But that will all soon change, because — huzzah! — someone has formed a plan! It’s titled “Philadelphia at 30,000 feet” — it’s kinda blue and white — and by looking at the city from a spot where you can’t see it, you learn a lot.

There was even a brainstorming session!

Convention and Visitors Bureau Vice President Jack Ferguson says a recent brainstorming session turned up several strategies to expand Philadelphia’s share of the hospitality biz. Expanding the Convention Center is a priority, as well as presenting a top-of-the-line convention experience. Other parts of the plan would develop Philadelphia’s brand awareness versus cities such as Boston, and promote signature events such as the Army-Navy Game to build local pride.

The Army-Navy Game that is in Baltimore this year. Whoooo! Get psyched about your city, Philadelphia!

Philadelphia Considers New Hospitality Plan [KYW 1060]
July 16: Apparently, There Is This Thing Called The ‘Gayborhood’
[Photo via plasticbystander, licensed via Creative Commons]

Tales From The Crypt

Okay, I know some people really, really love their jobs, but John Hopkins — I’d go by Jonathan — really loves his work.

As a hoisting rig slowly removed the 1,200-pound ledger tombstone - cobwebs dangling from the marker’s ends - John Hopkins could barely contain his excitement today at the Christ Church Burial Ground. Hopkins is the church’s burial ground coordinator, and workmen were opening vaults in the church’s allee, a narrow section of the burial ground that contains 20 large vaults built in the early 19th century and the remains of numerous prominent Philadelphians interred in them.

As the stone rose higher - accompanied by a strong musty smell - Don Smith, executive director of the Christ Church Preservation Trust, exhorted onlookers: “Go ahead, be the first person to look inside for more than a hundred years.” Hopkins’ eyes lit up as he looked down into the 36-foot-deep, hand-dug brick vault.

“I see a skull right there!” he shouted.

No, no, it’s “Is this a skull I see before me?” Wait, I think I’m getting confused, too. But, hey, Mr. Hopkins is happy.

“I feel like I can give tours on a more personal basis now that I’ve been able to see into the graves of people I talk about every day,” he said.

Hmm. Maybe this is what Blondell Reynolds Brown was talking about when she championed tour guide regulation. How can we adequately ride the ducks if the drivers haven’t seen the crypts of our founding fathers?

19th-century vaults opened at Phila. cemetery [Inquirer]
March 29: City Council To Improve Citizens’ Lives Again

Foes Line Up Against Tour Guide Intelligence Bill

Back in March, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown proposed a bill licensing the city’s tour guides so they don’t tell tourists wrong information about our fair city. I kind of thought that was always one of the perks of tourists: You could tell them whatever the hell you wanted do and they’d believe you! “Oh, yeah, City Hall? The head opens up and shoots out a giant piece of Pez candy every New Year.”

(Please note: Although Ralph “Ben Franklin” Archbold — at right — opposes tour guide regulation, he knows more about Ben Franklin than Ben Franklin did.)

The day the news of her bill broke, ignorant tour guides across the city banded together to stop it. While there weren’t any rallies with people holding signs that read “Thomas Jefferson Invented The Light Bulb,” when Reynolds Brown holds a hearing on the bill there will be protesters, reports KYW 1060’s Karin Phillips:

However, Jonathan Bari, founder of Constitutional Walking Tours, says a license won’t make any tour guide more knowledgeable, but he says it will:

“Increase consumer prices for tours; we think it’s going to deter qualified guides; it’s going to wreak havoc on business operations for small businesses.”

Bari says the proposal is well-meaning but flawed, and he plans on presenting 10 points against it to the council’s parks, recreation and cultural affairs committee.

A 10-point treatise on flaws in tour guide regulation! I bet it came out of the latest issue of Reason.

Phila. Council Holds Hearing On Tour Guide License Bill [KYW 1060]
March 29: City Council To Improve Citizens’ Lives Again
March 30: Ignorant Tour Guides Fight Regulation

City Council To Improve Citizens’ Lives Again

Pop quiz: What laws, exactly, has City Council passed in the past, say, two years? If you’re like me, you can think of four:

• The smoking ban, banning smoking in all bars, except the ones that applied for a waiver, yet banning smoking at all outdoor cafes.
• The trans fat ban, giving the city’s restaurants a year or so to stop cooking with trans fats.
• The ban on blunt-style cigars and any other object that could be conceivably construed as marijuana paraphernalia. (This one was thrown out by the courts earlier this month.)
• And, finally, a law helping old ladies cross the street

Can you think of anything else? Not me. (Council overrode the mayor’s veto last week, but it was about pensions.)

Well, there’s a hot new law coming out of City Council, and you’re gonna love this one.

More »

Conversion Of ‘Broad’ To ‘Sesame’ Complete; ‘John’ Next?

Earlier this week, I wrote about how, for the duration of Sesame Street Live’s stay in Philadelphia, a Broad Street sign near City Hall would be replaced with a Sesame Street sign. And now, I have the tourist-confusing evidence:

Well, at least I can now tell people how to get to Sesame Street. Apparently, it’s PA Route 611.

Monday: Grover, City Work Together To Confuse Tourists

‘Phillymag’: More Dangerous Than Actual Homicide?

Nicer Philadelphia hotels sometimes give guests copies of Phillymag, because there’s no better way to let someone know about the city than by telling them all about the suburbs.

This month, though, the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association has warned hotels to think twice about giving Phillymag out due to the story about Philebrity editor Joey Sweeney.

No! Wait! Phillymag has a cover with a gun and the word Murder, and the hotels association wanted to let its members know that this month’s Philadelphia (the magazine) might not be the best introduction to Philadelphia (the city).

Not sure if it would do harm to the hotel industry, especially when they’re already in the hotel and, as Phillymag editor Larry Platt pointed out, a high murder rate would be, uh, more of a turnoff.

But, as we know, our city’s fine mayor is probably already burning copies of the magazine.

The Dead of Night [Phillymag]
Philadelphia, Meet Your Future [Phillymag]
Sept. 18: It’s Settled: John Street Truly Does Not Care If You Die Today As Long As ‘National Geographic’ Offshoot Magazines Keep Praising The City

First borough

Philadelphia blogger The West End went up to New York this weekend, and spotted the following billboard just a few blocks from Times Square:

Any joke that could possibly be made about this ad has already been done, I’m sure, so I’ll just note it and move on.

It’s up to you [The West End]

Excessive headline mocking bores readers

Bastards!

Excessive tourism dampens mood [Temple News]