WASHINGTON 鈥� 鈥淰irginia is for Lovers鈥� is the longest-running tourism slogan in the country, around even longer than 鈥淚 鈥楬eart鈥� NY,鈥� and it turns 50-years-old next year.
The slogan was created in 1969 by the advertising firm which is now The Martin Agency in Richmond, the same agency behind Geico鈥檚 series of award-winning advertisements.
鈥淭he first ad that ‘Virginia is for Lovers’ appeared in was in Brides Magazine, so the original feeling and spirit behind it was that it was for lovers,鈥� Caroline Logan at told 草莓传媒.
鈥淭he ad depicted the very first honeymoon in Virginia, which was supposed to be in Jamestown,鈥� she said.
The slogan was originally conceived with a modifier, like Virginia is for “history” lovers, or Virginia is for “beach” lovers, but the slogan without a modifier proved enduring.
鈥淵ou can go about anywhere on the planet from the U.K. to China, or California to New York and you say 鈥榁irginia,鈥� and I think people will say back to you 鈥榠s for lovers,鈥欌�� Logan said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen our T-shirts on ‘The Walking Dead’. In Kenny Chesney鈥檚 new song, 鈥楪et Along鈥� he says 鈥榁irginia is for Lovers.鈥欌��
A half century ago, Virginia鈥檚 tourism bread-and-butter was history, But Virginia Tourism has recently leaned back into the original concept, adding modifiers like 鈥渨ine lovers,鈥� 鈥渙yster lovers鈥� and 鈥渃raft beer lovers.鈥�
Virginia Tourism has absolutely no intention of replacing 鈥淰irginia is for Lovers鈥� as the state鈥檚 tourism message. Logan says there are brands that would kill to have a slogan that鈥檚 been as strong and as well-recognized.
Tourism is Virginia鈥檚 fifth-largest industry and reached $25 billion in revenue in 2017. Tourism also supported 232,000 jobs in Virginia last year.
Domestic tourists spend an average $68 million a day in Virginia.
The image accompanying this story is an installation at Boat Lake in Byrd Park in Richmond, part of Virginia Tourism鈥檚 .聽There are more than 100 permanent LOVEworks installations around the state. The white LOVE letters are also for rent for special events and promotions.
