Care Verikas is one of the many small business owners in Connecticut.
She and her husband run the Bristol Bazaar, a makerspace and market that opened in 2023.
The business tries to set itself apart by showcasing local handmade products, from earrings to succulents in animal-shaped pots.
Now, it's also getting a boost in visibility, thanks to a marketing effort by the state of Connecticut.
Gov. Ned Lamont and his marketing team at the Department of Economic and Community Development visited the shop earlier this year to launch Connecticut's latest statewide advertising initiative.
The rebranding, also known as the “Make It Here” campaign, has two main goals: to increase state pride, and create a clear-cut identity for Connecticut.
It highlights a range of Connecticut's selling points, including the ingenuity of local businesses. If you regularly browse social media or watch video streaming services, you might have already seen the new ads, which tout the creation of everything from helicopters to college basketball championships in Connecticut.
An expert we spoke with from UConn said the marketing push has multiple audiences, including the business community, and residents who might consider moving to the Nutmeg State. But he cautioned that a wide approach might be less successful in shaping public opinion than a more targeted message.
Connecticut Public is still waiting to receive records that could shed some additional light on the state's thought process. The Accountability Project filed a request in October asking for material that would help us understand how the state and a vendor who worked on the campaign arrived at the end product. More than two months later, that request is still pending.
In the meantime, advertisements are slated to appear in the near future on billboards, on Metro-North trains and at Bradley Airport.
The campaign also includes a new logo which resembles a “C” with a sideways “T” cut into it. Businesses can change the color and incorporate their own branding.
These initiatives came about after the DECD surveyed Connecticut residents about how satisfied they were living in the state, their level of state pride and whether or not they would recommend living here to someone else.
The Accountability Project obtained a copy of this survey and found that only 21% of participants said they would be “extremely likely” to recommend living in Connecticut and only 17% said they were “extremely proud” of the state.
It stands to reason then that Connecticut is trying to spotlight its business community. The survey found just under 20% of respondents believe Connecticut is a better location than nearby states to “start, grow or move a business,” and 32% actually think Connecticut is worse than nearby states for a business.
The state's last advertising push used the tagline “Still Revolutionary,” which didn't place the same emphasis on local entrepreneurs.
Chris DiPentima, president and CEO of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, told us he's encouraged by the direction of the state's new ads.
“I think it will really help charge the business community..." he said. "There's a lot of optimism out there amongst our membership.”
Back at the Bristol Bazaar, Verikas said the logo can be unifying for the business community.
“It shows that we're still all in this together,” she said. “Yes, we're all doing the same thing, but you can have your own spin on it.”