When you think of Baltimore, what's the first image that pops into your head? Is it a city with a bustling commercial waterfront or one with the second-highest crime rate in the country? Is it Old Bay seasoning and crabs or the "Heroin Capital of America"? Regardless of what comes to mind, City Councilwoman, Catherine Pugh, chairs the Subcommittee on Economic Development and is hoping to make the city's image a little clearer, or at least a little more positive.
"Other cities have such a creative arm to counteract [negative press]," Pugh explained. "It's the city's responsibility to create an image for itself."
In the past, Pugh has helped run the Fish out of Water Project, bringing electrically decorated fish statues to city blocks to attract tourists, and the Baltimore Marathon. Now, she hopes to decide what the committee should promote about Baltimore, the Charm City.
While the Baltimore Believe campaign, kicked off in April 2002, was aimed at improving the city from within, the subcommittee's new mission is to aid the economy by improving the rest of the country's view of the city.
Pugh originally introduced a "Better Image of Baltimore" bill to the City Council about a year and a half ago. The bill proposed that the city government would take the first step in creating a better media image.
Unfortunately, the bill encountered immediate opposition, on more than one front.
"There were council people who feared that their intervention would suggest that the government is trying to shape the image of the city," explained Pugh. "I don't think that's a bad idea."
In addition to the Council's opposition, HBO, which films the popular series, The Wire in Baltimore, also opposed the bill. "They thought the government was trying to [tell them] that they shouldn't be filming here," Pugh said.
Many would argue that television shows like The Wire, centering around drug trade and murders in Baltimore, contribute to the city's negative image. Pugh, however, believes that viewers don't associate the show with real life.
"You could film the show anywhere; it wouldn't really matter," she explained.
According to Pugh, the biggest problem is not necessarily a negative image, but lack of an image.
The subcommittee still has not officially decided which avenues they will take in reaching their goal, but members are currently exploring options.
One creative idea has already fallen into the committee's lap: Local band Fitehouse, which started its own grassroots movement by producing and marketing their own CD, believes that their song, Baltimore, (at http://www.fitehouse.com/) should be the city's official "rock anthem".
"It would be media coup for Baltimore to become the first city with an official rock anthem," said guitarist/song writer Joshua Cohen in an April 2003 interview with the News-Letter. "It would definitely reinforce our image as a quirky/unique town."
"It would be nice [for the city to have a song]," said Pugh. "When you hear "New York,' you think of [the song] New York, New York."
Fitehouse has been promoting their song all around the city, and has given a copy to just about every local politician. They've even gotten a few endorsements.
In addition, Pugh suggests that she'd like to see area students have a competition to write a newer Baltimore song to replace the early 20th century Baltimore, Our Baltimore.
The committee is also considering advertisers, including the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, among others.
One of the committee's shining examples is Philadelphia's successful "Philadelphia is more fun when you sleep over" ad campaign that generated a $10 million economic impact after the September 11 terrorist attacks threatened the city's tourism business.
The campaign was a joint venture by the mayor's office, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau and various other groups. It included not only a media blitz of television ads showing visitors walking around the city in the pajamas, but also offered tourists special hotel packages during the winter. Pugh hopes to see a similar effort in Baltimore.
In addition, New York City rolled out several ad campaigns aimed at boosting the city's economy after the terrorist attacks. The television ads featured street interviews and several famous New York celebrities.
Pugh believes that Baltimore has just as much to offer as these other large cities, but not enough people know that. Whatever the medium however, she wants to get the word out.
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