THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 9, 1995 TAG: 9509090271
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Suffolk is going through an identity crisis.
Eleven years after the city's official slogan, ``Surprising Suffolk,'' began gracing stationary, billboards and lapel pins in the state's geographically largest city, Suffolk officials have begun looking for something beyond startling.
The title of a new city promotional magazine set to be distributed early next year, ``Discover Suffolk,'' has been informally discussed as a potential replacement.
But there is no effort to ditch the Surprising slogan, said City Manager Myles E. Standish.
`` `Discover Suffolk' has not been officially adopted as a motto,'' Standish said, ``although it is an outstanding expression of our desire to appropriately market what Suffolk has to offer.''
And Standish noted that the city is going to create a new marketing campaign soon and described the Discover Suffolk idea as ``catchy.''
Although the words still grace billboards at the city lines, ``Surprising Suffolk'' has seen better days.
The slogan, with an orange sun in the background, was created around 1984 as Suffolk began a campaign to lure industry to its backyard.
Officials at the local Chamber of Commerce couldn't find any literature with the city logo. All they had on hand was a small cloth sticker and a dirty lapel pin.
Suffolk has apparently been in slogan limbo for some time. In 1993, the city labeled a new water tower off Interstate 664 in northern Suffolk with the controversial motto: ``Suffolk - The Heart of Hampton Roads.'' It has never been used again.
The city has also batted around the slogans ``Peanut Capital of the World'' and ``The World's Largest Peanut Market.'' Neither stuck. Some city officials said the city surrendered both to Dothan, Ala., a long-time rival in peanut prowess.
Although a slogan can help establish a city's identity, Suffolk is not alone when it comes to floundering for a motto.
Calls to the region's other cities produced some guffaws and a lot of questions about their official mottos.
The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development couldn't readily remember that the resort city's slogan is ``Good Clean Fun.''
Portsmouth officials were somewhat baffled by the query.
``You know, that's a really good question,'' said Carolyn Dennis, an administrative coordinator with the Portsmouth Department of Marketing and Communications. ``I know there are a few floating around, but I'm not sure which we have adopted.''
Consultation with the city clerk's office produced the answer: ``It's `Big City Appeal, Small Town Flavor,' '' Dennis said.
But there is also ``A Waterfront View With An Urban Flavor.'' Neither is official, she said.
Chesapeake's Office of Public Information initially had no idea of that city's slogan, then uncovered the answer: ``Chesapeake: Virginia's Future.''
Norfolk officials also had to do some research. And in the end, they still weren't sure.
``Well, it depends,'' said Kathy Bulman, assistant manager of communications.
The Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau has adopted ``Norfolk By-The-Sea'' as its slogan. The Chamber of Commerce has used: ``Part of What Makes Norfolk Great'' in touting local attractions.
But Allen Troy, manager of marketing with the city, had the last word.
Norfolk has a mission statement, he said, but ``to my knowledge, the city has not adopted an official slogan.'' by CNB