columbus ohio tourism slogan

Ohio's returned to its old tourism slogan, here's why

Ohio is, once again, the heart of it all.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced a new − or, more accurately, old − tourism slogan for the state Wednesday: "Ohio, The Heart of it All." The state first used this slogan to attract visitors to the Buckeye State in the 1980s but retired it in the early 2000s.

"We are returning to something familiar," DeWine said in Cleveland Wednesday. "We are Ohio, the heart of it all."

The slogan will replace "Ohio. Find it Here," which was first announced in 2015 during Gov. John Kasich's administration .

"Ohio. Find it Here" was easily turned into a critique by those frustrated with the state's politics or policies. On social media, the "it" you can find here in Ohio ranged from potholes and "Hell is Real" signs to discrimination and corrupt politicians. (One of the state's most powerful Republican lawmakers was recently convicted in a sweeping bribery case .)

Before "Find it Here," Ohio had two tourism slogans. "Ohio, The Heart of It All" was first used in 1984 during Democratic Gov. Richard Celeste's administration, and "Ohio, So Much to Discover" promoted the state in the early 2000s during Republican Gov. Bob Taft's tenure.

TourismOhio's focus has recently shifted from solely attracting visitors to the state's attractions to also attracting people to come live in the state. Ohio's population growth has slowed, costing the state a congressional seat after the 2020 U.S. Census.

"What we're promoting is more than just a travel destination. We are promoting all of our great state, holistically," DeWine said in Cleveland Wednesday. "We also want them to know that this is a great place to live, a great place to work and a great place to raise a family."

The slogan comes with a new ad featuring the song "Must be the Love" from Akron soul band Wesley Bright & The Honeytones. Columbus-based Ron Foth Advertising designed the new logo.

The announcement came on Ohio Tourism Day, which was also celebrated at the Ohio Statehouse with booths touting Ohio's tourism attractions. Inside the building, House lawmakers prepared to vote on a measure that would ask voters to make it harder to amend the state constitution . Another committee discussed a bill to ban transgender girls from participating in female sports .

From 'I Love New York' to 'Say WA'

While every state has a tourism slogan, not all of them have stood the test of time. New York's "I Love New York," Virginia's "Virginia is for Lovers" and West Virginia's "Wild, Wonderful West Virginia" have lasted decades.

But others were quickly panned. Washington state's "Say WA!" was dumped shortly after it was announced. "Oklahoma is OK" was ultimately not OK with many residents. And Wisconsin's "Stay Just a Little Bit Longer" was considered a bit clingy.

Can Ohio's slogan compete with its neighbors? Michigan has "Pure Michigan," Pennsylvania markets itself with "Pursue Your Happiness” and Kentucky has pitched its "Unbridled Spirit." Last year, Indiana announced a new marketing campaign: "IN Indiana."

Ohio's state motto is  " With God, All Things Are Possible ," the brainchild of young Cincinnatian Jimmy Mastronardo in the 1950s. The American Civil Liberties Union challenged the motto in court, arguing that it was an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. But a full appeals court decision sided with Ohio and the motto.

Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast

New 'Heart of it All' signs going up to welcome people to Ohio

The ohio department of transportation’s sign shop in columbus manufactured all 36 new signs..

When driving across state lines into Ohio, travelers are faced with a sign that reads “Ohio. Find it Here,” but now, travelers will be welcomed with a new slogan that was once familiar. 

In May, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Ohio would return to its old slogan , “Ohio, The Heart of it All.” Now, the new signage is starting to be installed on U.S. and interstate routes.

“Ohio, The Heart of it All” was the state’s tourism slogan between 1984 and the early 2000s and was followed by “Ohio, So Much to Discover" during Republican Gov. Bob Taft's tenure.

Ohio’s most recent slogan, “Ohio. Find it Here,” was launched in 2015 during Gov. John Kasich's administration .

Sarah Wickham, state tourism director for the Ohio Department of Development, said the new slogan would allow Ohio to not only be talked about as a travel and tourism destination, but also as a great place to live.

“For the last several years, we’ve encouraged Ohioans to ‘Find it Here,’ and millions of them have,” Wickham said. “But ultimately, that brand, although a great tourism brand, didn’t serve all the purposes we needed. We needed a new brand that was more inclusive and that told more of Ohio’s story.”

Wickham said “Ohio, The Heart of it All” is a brand that has resonated with Ohioans for years.

“And with Intel and Google making investments in our state, we are the heart of technology and opportunity,” Wickham said. “Those companies need employees.”

The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Sign Shop in Columbus manufactured all 36 new signs in three weeks, according to Joshua Wilson, ODOT sign shop administrator. The signs cost nearly $60,000 to make.

In addition to the signs on highways, ODOT is working on smaller signs for some of the other two-lane routes coming into Ohio, according to Matt Bruning, ODOT press secretary.

“These will be the new look, the new brand for the state of Ohio,” Bruning said. “That will be the welcome mat to the state of Ohio to show people they’re coming into the state, and certainly show off that new look that we have for the brand for the state of Ohio.”

The goal is to have all signs installed by the end of the year.

Kayla Bennett is a fellow in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism's Statehouse News Bureau.

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A new slogan is now welcoming drivers into the Buckeye State.

Those entering Ohio will be welcomed to "The Heart of it All" as part of a new campaign, announced earlier this year , in a reintroduction of a familiar tagline.

The new signs were installed along the state border on Tuesday morning, reading "Welcome to Ohio, The Heart of it All."

Officials said the goal is to have these signs installed by December.

ODOT says 36 new signs were made by the Ohio Department of Transportation Sign Shop in Columbus.

The total cost of the new signage is $59,990.12, per transportation officials.

The tagline was Ohio's tourism slogan from 1984 until 2001. Ohio recorded 233 million visits last year, with visitors spending $53 billion.

Ohio unveils new tourism slogan -- its old one

• Updated: May. 10, 2023, 4:54 p.m. |
• Published: May. 10, 2023, 9:59 a.m.

Riders spin around in the cheese car on Cedar Point’s newest coaster，the Wild Mouse，during a media and VIP day. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

• Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com
• Susan Glaser, cleveland.com

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio’s new tourism slogan, unveiled Wednesday, is its old tourism slogan -- “the heart of it all.”

The return to the state’s old slogan, used between 1984 and 2001, is part of Gov. Mike DeWine’s attempt to expand Ohio’s tourism efforts to attract not only visitors, but new workers, residents and students to increase the state’s stagnant population.

Since 2015, Ohio’s tourism slogan has been “Ohio. find it here.” But DeWine, speaking at a news conference at the Karamu House Theater in Cleveland, said he believes it’s time for an “update” to that.

“Because what we’re promoting is more than just a travel destination,” DeWine said. “We are promoting all of our great state holistically.”

DeWine said that when people were asked about Ohio’s tourism slogan, many replied “the heart of it all” even though the motto hasn’t been used in years. “It really resonated with people,” the governor said. “It’s embedded in people’s heart.”

The slogan “The heart of it all” is, among other things, a nod to Ohio’s borders being roughly in the shape of a heart. A new TV ad screened at the governor’s news conference, which DeWine said begins airing today, calls Ohio “the heart of technology” and “the heart of adventure.” It features music from Akron’s Wesley Bright & The Honeytones.

Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, told cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer that state officials decided to revive the slogan after speaking with people in Ohio’s tourism industry, business leaders, and marketing experts. Even though Ohio hasn’t used “the heart of it all” for more than two decades, she said, a lot of people think it’s still the state’s tourism slogan.

The initiative to decide on a slogan cost only a minimal amount, Mihalik said, as the work was part of existing contracts her department already had.

“But quite frankly, the cost of not doing anything was much more,” she said. “Ohio’s population is on the decline. Our mortality rates and fertility rates are not working well together. And we’ve seen some net migration issues in the past, although that’s getting better.”

Asked how this slogan change will help lure people to Ohio, Mihalik said “the heart of it all” has “some equity” to it.

“It more accurately, I think, reflects who we are as a state,” Mihalik said. “It speaks to the heart and emotion that the people feel, the connectivity that people feel to our state.”

Melinda Huntley, executive director of the Ohio Travel Association, said the new brand works on several levels – playing off of the shape of the state as well as Ohio’s proximity to the rest of the country.

“It’s uniquely Ohio in many ways. That’s the hallmark of a good brand and that’s probably why people remember it,” said Huntley, whose organization represents hundreds of tourism-related businesses throughout the state.

As important as the brand, however, is how it’s used.

“The tourism budget in Ohio hasn’t been changed for 15 years,” she said. “We haven’t even kept up with inflation. If we want to activate this brand effectively – plus expand our mission – we have to be realistic about what it will take to do that.”

She also said it’s important that the state stick with this new brand. “Brands take time to resonate,” she said. “The most effective brands out there have been around for decades.”

Mihalik said her department intends to ask state lawmakers for more money to attract workers to the state.

The announcement came on Ohio Tourism Day; DeWine was also slated to stage tourism-related events in Toledo and Dayton later.

Also on Wednesday, the state reported that there were 233 million visits to Ohio in 2022, up 6% over 2021. Those visitors generated $53 million in direct spending and supported 424,339 jobs, according to the Department of Development.

Jeremy Pelzer covers state politics and policy for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.

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New signs welcome visitors to 'heart of it all' in Ohio

OHIO — " The Heart of it All " signs are slowly popping up around the state, replacing outdated signage at entry points to Ohio.

What You Need To Know

Gov. mike dewine and the ohio department of development announced the reimagined state brand on may 10 during ohio tourism day a total of 36 new signs were made by the ohio department of transportation sign shop in columbus  the signs will be installed by both odot crews and contractors the largest sign measures more than 40' wide and will hang on the arch spanning i-70 at the indiana border in preble county.

Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Development announced the reimagined state brand on May 10 during Ohio Tourism Day. This is the second round of the phrase being used. The tagline was Ohio's tourism slogan between 1984 to 2001.

“There is endless fun, excitement, joy and adventure here in Ohio, but our state is more than just a travel destination,” said DeWine. “There is no better place to live, learn, work and play, and now, everyone who crosses into Ohio will know that they're entering the Heart of it All."

A total of 36 new signs were made by the Ohio Department of Transportation Sign Shop in Columbus, and they cost $59,990.

“Each letter, each element is put on by hand by our employees, piece-by-piece, letter-by-letter,” said ODOT Sign Shop Administrator Joshua Wilson. The ODOT Sign Shop manufactures nearly 100,000 signs each year.

The signs will be installed by both ODOT crews and contractors. The largest sign measures more than 40-feet wide and will hang on the arch spanning I-70 at the Indiana border in Preble County.

“These signs act as a welcome mat, inviting visitors in and greeting residents coming home,” said State Tourism Director Sarah Wickham. “We want them to be beautiful and to represent our state’s pride, setting the tone for what you can expect during your time in our great state.”

In 2022, visitors spent $53 billion, a 13% increase from 2021. The state recorded 233 million visits last year, including 47 million overnight stays. 

The goal is for the new signs to go up by December.

Visitor spending hit $53 billion in Ohio last year, a 13 percent increase over 2021. The state recorded 233 million visits in 2022, including 47 million overnight stays.

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Gov. dewine unveils reimagined version of the previous state slogan: 'ohio, the heart of it all', document.write(__reporter_name); - document.write(__reporter_title);.

News & Events in Columbus, OH

Ohio unveils new tourism slogan — its old one

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio’s new tourism slogan, unveiled Wednesday, is its old tourism slogan — “the heart of it all.”

The return to the state’s old slogan, used between 1984 and 2001, is part of  Gov. Mike DeWine’s attempt to expand Ohio’s tourism efforts  to attract not only visitors, but new workers, residents and students to increase the state’s stagnant population.

Since 2015, Ohio’s tourism slogan has been  “Ohio. find it here.”  But DeWine, speaking at a news conference at the Karamu House Theater in Cleveland, said he believes it’s time for an “update” to that.

Continue Reading on Cleveland.com

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DeWine unveils new, re-imaged state slogan ‘The Heart of it All’

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

The state of Ohio is returning to a popular slogan to help promote the state and all that it has to offer.

Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced the state will resume the “Ohio, The Heart of it all” slogan to promote Ohio as a great place to live, work and play.

The reimagined slogan was unveiled while celebrating Ohio Tourism Day in Cleveland Wednesday morning.

>> I-TEAM: Comparing options for vacation stays

The slogan was originally used between 1984 and 2011.

“Our state is thriving, and we want the world to know that Ohio is the heart of technology, the heart of opportunity, the heart of adventure, and the heart of the family. This is a brand for all of Ohio, uniting everything we love about our great state under one powerful phrase,” said DeWine.

In 2022, Ohio’s tourism industry captured a record $53 billion in visitor spending and welcomed 223 million visitors from Ohio and other states.

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Ohio announces new tourism slogan

The state of Ohio has turned to the past to find its tourism slogan for the future.

In a press conference held this morning in honor of Ohio Tourism Today, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, alongside Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, unveiled a new tourism slogan for the Buckeye State. Replacing “Ohio, Find it Here” will be:

“Ohio, the Heart of it All”

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And while we say new, we also mean old, because the slogan was used starting in 1984 to promote tourism, before being replaced by “Ohio, So Much to Discover,” in the early 2000s.

“I am excited to announce we are returning to something familiar, something with an emotional connection, something with heart,” DeWine said of the slogan.

In addition to the state’s heart shape and its location within the heartland of America, he cited a number of other reasons for the slogan change, referring to Ohio as the “heart of opportunity,” the “heart of adventure,” and now, nodding to recent investments from Intel, Google and Honda, the “heart of technology.”

In case you were curious, here’s a list of the state’s tourism slogans throughout the years:

1984 – Early 2000s : Ohio, the Heart of it All Early 2000s-2015 : Ohio, So Much to Discover 2015-2023 : Ohio, Find it Here Starting Today : Ohio, the Heart of it All

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