Blackburn + Sweetzer Has Moved

Photo of DiscoverLosAngeles.com from NBC LA

The city’s new $2 million tourism marketing campaign, ‘That’s So LA’—featuring famous faces such as Tom Hanks, Kobe Bryant and reality star Lauren Conrad—is an interesting and questionable choice, considering the phrase is often derogatory, denoting the worst of the worst, the most stereotypical of our denizens. Though, I have to say, the rise of Lauren Conrad does certainly fit the bill—a privileged girl from the OC with reality star opportunities and fame. That is so f*cking LA.

Franklin Avenue notes, “In much of the country, ‘That’s So L.A.’ might be uttered after someone does something bizarre. Meanwhile, let’s face it, the slogan rhymes with the all-too common slur, ‘That’s so gay.’”

Actually, what first came to my mind was That’s So Raven, that show starring Raven Symoné. I’ve never actually seen more than a few minutes of the series, but that’s likely what will enter my head each time I see ‘That’s So LA’ ads on TV, and once it rolls out domestically and internationally, in mags, airports and wherever else.

On the other hand, I can see so-LAers embracing the unabashed LA-ness of the slogan too…or not caring. Can’t say I’ve been impressed with previous slogans outlined by Franklin Avenue either: ‘L.A.’s the Place,’ ‘Together, We’re the Best’ and the recent, ‘See My L.A.’

» That’s So Embarrassing, L.A.—Franklin Avenue