Conventional tourism advertising images? Hardly. But the State of Colorado is juxtaposing them with bright, colorful images of whitewater rafting, horseback riding and other dynamic Colorado activities to make a point.  The point? There are a lot of times in your life when you’d rather be in Colorado.  The idea came from a long review of what the competition was doing, according to George Olson, creative director of PRACO Ltd., the advertising/public relations firm responsible for Colorado’s $3 million spring and summer campaign.

“In looking at literally hundreds of tourism ads, we made a remarkable observation,” said Olson. “Every state in America has some very pretty places and some very talented photographers. If we wanted the Colorado ads to break through, we felt we had to break out of this ‘tourism tundra’ with some new images and new ideas.” Using the themeline “I’d rather be in Colorado,” PRACO Ltd. developed scenarios that captured some of the more stressful, dull and unpleasant moments in modern life and juxtaposed them with the scenery, activity and fun of a Colorado adventure.

“People have never needed a vacation more than they do right now,” said PRACO Ltd. art director Phil Barber.  “We’re all under so much pressure nowadays; responsibilities, crowds, and the steady oppression of the mundane everyday stuff that our days are made of. In a world of dull grays, we wanted to showcase the Colorado vacation as an adventure in glorious technicolor.”

A diverse mixture of print, out-of-home and radio advertising is being used to extend the “I’d rather be in Colorado” message. Included in the advertising plan for the Colorado spring/summer 2000 campaign are:

• National and regional consumer publications: Four-color ads begin insertion in March in 42 consumer publications, which vary from travel magazines such as Conde Naste Traveler and National Geographic Traveler to general consumer magazines like Good Housekeeping and Better Homes Gardens.
• Print, radio and out-of-home in target markets: Newspaper ads, metro traffic radio sponsorships and advertisements on city bus sides are set to appear in April and May in Los Angeles, Chicago, Albuquerque and Dallas.

PRACO, Ltd. won the Colorado Tourism Board’s spring/summer 2000 account in September of 1999. PRACO is one of Colorado’s fastest growing full-service agencies and also is one of the largest with more than 40 full-time employees. PRACO, Ltd.’s 1999 billings exceeded $20 million.