Branding Like It’s 1985
There are few songs as incredibly sublime as Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia On My Mind” — particularly since Ray Charles claimed it as his very own in 1960. It was only natural that “Georgia On My Mind” would become our state song, as it did in 1979. And when the song title starting appearing elsewhere, especially on license plates, nobody batted an eye. It just worked.
Other states tried to follow suit and failed. Consider our neighbor to the west. While Mitchell Parrish’s “Stars Fell On Alabama” is a damn fine song (Billie Holiday’s version might be the best), sticking “Stars Fell On” on the top of a license plate just looks bizarre.
Is Alabama given to particularly nasty meteor showers? Do celebrities rain down from the heavens in Birmingham? Either way, it doesn’t make me want to visit.
But time marches on and it appears that Brother Ray’s contribution to Georgia’s phraseology is being shoved aside to make room for a new motto: “Set Your Dreams In Motion”
Now, to my knowledge, this new motto has no associated song. To remedy this, I suggest that we conduct an immediate search for appropriate creative talent using the terms we have available. And I think we all know where this can only lead …
We must find Jon Parr (famous for the hits “Naughty Naughty” and the St Elmo’s Fire song) and the Wilson sisters from Heart. Only a pairing of this magnitude can take all of the ferocity of 1985’s “These Dreams” and “Man In Motion” to come up with our new state anthem. And it shall be glorious.
(Atlanta’s branding was discussed earlier.)
Billie’s rendition appears on Songs for Distingue Lovers from 1956. Her voice was so rough at that point, only three years before her death, so all of her energy seemed to go into how she presented each lyric. Her “Foggy Day” is there too, as well as a heartbreaking “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”
Sorry. I’ll cease and desist my musical geekery.
“Set Your Dreams In Motion” sounds like the slogan for a technical college, perhaps one that focuses on auto mechanics…not that there is anything wrong with that … being an auto mechanic that is.
No, nothing wrong with being an auto mechanic. My dad is living the American Dream (TM) because he was and is a damn fine auto mechanic.
The slogan however, should be limited to the business world.
great about your dad
auto mechanic ties into the “set into motion” theme in case that was missed…perhaps.
great about your dad…still ashame about the slogan.
auto mechanic ties into the “set into motion” theme in case that was missed…perhaps. the “not that there is anything wrong with that” is seinfeldian, of course.
I know much has already been made about the new Atlanta branding campaign, but I feel compelled to enter my two cents, albeit several months after the initiative has gotten underway.
I can’t believe such a dull, drab logo emerged from this multi-million dollar endeavor. First, the swirl looks like a hurricane – and after 2005, how many people want to be reminded of anything closely resembling a hurricane? The font type the letters spelling Atlanta looks like nothing more than a hip hop club name, and using nothing but red couldn’t be more dull and lifeless.
I am embarrassed that yet another attempt to show ourselves to the world has fallen short. And the slogan – “every day is an opening day” ? What are we? A city of plays? A city of baseball teams? Just what is opening day? This is a good example of Las Vegas’ slogan being very apropos – “what happens here, stays here”. Lord, I hope that this slogan, it’s horrible logo and the idiots behind them stay right here and the world never finds out!!
Mike Waters