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Iconic “I ♥ NY” Goes Prime Time

September 20, 2011 at 12:09 pm by Ted Mininni

An article published in the NY Daily News on September 15th: “‘I Love New York’ iconic tourism logo raking in millions in licensing fees for state” is a short read but it offers a lot of food for thought.

“The ‘I Love New York’ brand isn't just for tourists anymore - it's becoming a cash cow for the state”. We all know how cool this logo is. It’s been around for a while and it’s only gotten hotter. New York had licensed its world-famous tourism brand logo for souvenirs that tourists would naturally gravitate to. So far, so good.

But now the brand is literally taking off on upscale t-shirts, perfumes and soon – bottled water. All of these ventures are enriching the state’s coffers to the tune of almost $2 million dollars, and growing... Branded merchandise isn’t only available in New York. Consumers in Japan, London and Italy can buy “I Love New York” consumer goods, too. What’s next? Maybe a dedicated “I Love New York” retail store?

Why not? Why not expand the beloved brand beyond basic souvenir items? Why not expand the scope of distribution abroad? Why not open up a retail store, as well? Consumers love it and the state stands to benefit.

This begs the question: how many other cash-strapped states ought to follow New York’s lead? How many would benefit from creating an ownable visual strategy, an icon, and leveraging it with licensed products in a unique manner? It seems to me that the state of New York has established a blueprint by successfully licensing itself as a desirable property.

Plenty of other states have tourism departments and they’ve created brand identities as well. Question is: have they fully leveraged them? Not as New York has. Maybe it’s time for the other 49 states to consider licensing – and mining their assets.

• Which states besides New York have developed well-designed brand icons to express their uniqueness?
• Which would benefit from doing so?
• Do you think states ought to license consumer products besides the usual tourist fare? If so, which categories lend themselves to licensing?
• Should states get into the business of opening retail stores?

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