Up & Coming Weekly

4 UCW OCTOBER 21-27, 2009 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM PUBLISHER Bill Bowman bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Janice Burton Joy Kirkpatrick editor@upandcomingweekly.com STAFF WRITER Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Tabitha Kidd tabitha@upandcomingweekly.com OFFICE MANAGER Suzy Patterson suzy@upandcomingweekly.com –––––––––––––– GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alicia Miller art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Soni Martin, D.G. Mar tin, Pitt Dick ey, Margaret Dickson, Bob Cogswell, John Hood, Shanessa Fenner, Stephanie Crider, Erica Gilbert –––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a "Quality of Life" publication with local features, news and infor- mation on what's happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per per- son. Subscriptions can be purchased for $30 for six months or $60 for 12 months, delivered weekly by first class mail. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. STAFF Internet Directory ............................ 12 Calendar ........................................... 18 Concert Connection ........................ 25 TV ..................................................... 26 Movie Review .................................. 28 Movie Schedule ............................... 29 Wheelin' Feelin' ................................ 30 News of the Weird ........................... 31 Horoscopes/Advice Goddess ......... 31 Classifieds ........................................ 32 Games .............................................. 34 Dining Guide .................................... 35 INSIDE We are NOT international. There is some talk around town about the need for a new slogan or brand to depict our community. Well, if this is true, the idea needs to be given some careful consideration before it goes any further. Please move slow on this one. The Fayetteville/Cumberland County community certainly diversifi ed. However, it is not necessarily "unifi ed" or unique. Our diversity offers us many opportunities by allowing us to share cultures and traditions. However, there is absolutely nothing unique about being "international." International? This commonplace term could never be molded into a unique brand of any sort. Unfortunately, it is all too typical of the narrow thinking leadership in our community that they would even think of trying to develop a new brand for our community before paying attention to the one we already have, "History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling." This reminds me of several years ago when the self-appointed marketing gurus of our business and development community decided to change the name and mission of the Chamber of Commerce. They called it the Cumberland County Development Corporation. CCDC for short. At Up & Coming Weekly, we called it a bad idea. Hey, what about the valued brand in the name Chamber of Commerce? All of the protests and arguments fell on deaf ears and consequently hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent trying to "rebrand" the organization and its mission. It didn't work and we now have our Chamber of Commerce back — big, bold and recognizable to tens of thousands of residents. That is the power of branding. So my advice is keep the bureaucrats out of it and leave the marketing and branding of our community to the marketing professionals less we again run the risk of spending thousands of dollars uselessly. Branding is the process of being in control of your image and establishing who you are, what you are and for what you stand. Branding your business, organization or community must be well planned, consistent, unique and sincere. This being said, last week in an interview I was asked what I thought about our community slogan "History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling." I responded it is wonderful. However, I pointed out that unfortunately we (referencing the City of Fayetteville and the County of Cumberland) were not properly utilizing, developing or capitalizing on it. Only the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau uses it consistently in marketing and promoting Fayetteville/ Cumberland County to outside agencies. Their success is a matter of record. This slogan was introduced several years ago and heralded as the near perfect refl ection of the Cumberland County community embracing Fayetteville and Fort Bragg. I believe it is right on the money. History, refl ecting the many historic events and contributions of our region. Heroes, refl ecting the soldiers and our proud and signifi cant military heritage. Hometown Feeling refl ects that warm southern feeling of hospitality and tradition that is only unique to our community. History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling. We have it, we own it and we should honor it. So, let's not say this is not a good slogan until we actually use it, market it and brand it. All we need to do is start. Let's put a marketing campaign together that brands our community as unique and one of History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling. Sure, our population diversity adds to the brand and tells a unique story of the tolerance and blending of many cultures. This is Fayetteville! Please, please don't tag our community generically as "international." We are not international. This is a redundant and generic term with NO branding appeal or future in a successful marketing and branding campaign, i.e. International airports, International Harvester, International Brotherhood of Dock Workers, International House of Pancakes. Let's not reinvent the wheel here. Fayetteville and Cumberland County is the home of History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling. We now have to market it, develop it, brand it, and most importantly, live it! Keep the slogan. Embrace the brand. Thanks for reading the Up & Coming Weekly. We are proud to be your community newspaper. Also, read us online free at www.upandcomingweekly.com. We would also like to hear from you. Submit your letters, comments, photos or events to me personally at bbowman@ upandcomingweekly.com or you may call me anytime at 910 484 6200. "History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling" Market it, develop it, brand it, and most importantly, live it! by BILL BOWMAN BILL BOWMAN, Publisher COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 106 or Bill@upandcomingweekly.com. PUBLISHER'S PEN

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