Stop imagining that, Oklahoma City now to be branded as "The Modern Frontier"

The phrase “Imagine that,” launched last week by a marketing team led by Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, was last used by the city’s convention and visitors bureau when it had no Oklahoma River, no downtown art museum, no Oklahoma City National Memorial, no Bricktown Canal and no arts districts to lure visitors.

The Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau is launching its first new branding of the city as “The Modern Frontier” after abandoning its last one more than 20 years ago.

The coincidences in the timing are just that.

Mike Carrier, president of the visitors bureau, admits he has a lot more to work with these days, including a new convention center and adjoining 605-room Omni hotel opening this winter. The timing was right for a new brand.

“It was totally incidental,” Carrier said. “We knew the state was doing a big branding campaign. Matt had been talking about that ever since the election. We were surprised because we didn’t know when it would happen.”

Carrier said the bureau’s branding is for a specific campaign, though acknowledged similar efforts, notably “Virginia is for lovers,” went from a campaign to permanent status.