Want to advertise your downtown? Don’t do this!

By Joe Borgstrom, Director
Specialized Technical Assistance
& Revitalization Strategy Division
Michigan State Housing Development Authority

Normally, I’m a supporter of local businesses and “shop local” campaigns. While folks nationally in the Main Street world are split on their effectiveness, I believe any discussion about how supporting local businesses supports your local economy and educates the general public to that effect can’t be bad. These campaigns often point out businesses that offer everyday sundries, cute niche businesses and funky retail shops. Businesses that one would want to frequent or “discover” something unique that you can’t find anywhere else. I didn’t think that a community could hurt its own image doing this…could they? You bet they can.

This past holiday season I watched several television co-op ad campaigns for three or four communities in Mid-Michigan. The commercials urged me to “Shop (community name) for the Holidays.” The tag was then followed by a couple of co-op ads featuring local businesses and the tag repeated again. Not bad right? You want to advertise during the holiday season so people will bring some of their hard earned money to your downtown and buy gifts and create special memories that make them want to come back and spend more later as well. The biggest problem with these particular campaigns is that one assumes when you are shopping during the holiday season that you are talking about retail sales, right? You know, gifts for people at the holidays? Not so fast. That’s where the train goes of the tracks…

Each of these communities, though well intended, did extensive damage to their image as quaint (or even hip) downtown business districts. How? In each community the two co-op ads were done with businesses that weren’t retail. They weren’t the types of businesses one would do holiday shopping in. They advertised banks, oil change places, chiropractors, mechanics, heating repair places and other service industries. Now, I’m not saying communities shouldn’t be advertising for these types of places, especially if they’re in your downtown. What I’m saying is that if those are the types of businesses you have, your tag should be “Support local businesses, support your local economy,” or something to that effect. “Shop (community name) for the Holidays” indicates you have something to sell to people that they would want to give as a gift. That there is traditional retail there to support and “discover.” Asking people to shop in your downtown for the holidays and then showing them a bunch of businesses they can’t buy gifts in makes them think there is nothing in your downtown to support.

That’s an image that will last long after the holiday season.