Say you're in the area of Oneida, Madison, Otsego, Broome, Chenango, Montgomery and Schoharie counties. You're having a tough time getting tourists excited about visiting. "Leatherstocking Region" just isn't bringing in the crowds like it used to. What do you do?
1. Launch an ambitious re-branding campaign for the region. Come up with something really zesty. Something that screams excitement. Let's call it "Central New York."
2. Announce this sensational new name on Easter morning, on a weekend when even the luckless reporters who are working have been dispatched to Cooperstown.
3. Don't get rid of all the old "Leatherstocking" signs right away. Having the same name on all the signs would only confuse people. Instead, just wait til the old ones fall apart and replace them one by one over a period of several years.
It's already too late, of course, but Prince's marketing director should've had a hand in this. What would be a good symbol for the Area Formerly Known As the Leatherstocking Region?
