The Icebox of the Nation: The Battle for the Trademarked Slogan Comes to an End
February 9, 2008 by Susan Gunelius
Filed under Marketing
For nearly 20 years, International Falls, Minnesota has been fighting with Fraser, Colorado on and off and in one way or another over the trademark rights to be called the “Icebox of the Nation.” The battle ended this week when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office declared International Falls, Minnesota victorious.
In terms of temperatures, it seems obvious that International Falls, Minnesota is the clear winner anyway (my in-laws live not far from International Falls in Northern Minnesota, and it’s unbearably cold there), but it seems there was more at stake than a simple tagline. Apparently, a brand image was at the core of the battle.
The Icebox of the Nation is more than a cute slogan but a way of thinking and a way of marketing both towns to the rest of the world. International Falls claims to even use the branding as a way to market itself as the best place in the United States for cold weather testing, and the mayor is thrilled to have won the right to officially be called the Icebox of the Nation.
Does your city or town have a tagline? If not, should they? It seems like a useful marketing tactic for towns that draw revenue from tourism. What other types of cities or towns would benefit from a tagline?
Tags: International Falls, Minnesota, Fraser, Colorado, Icebox of the Nation, trademarks, brand image, branding, marketing
I lived across the river from the Falls in Fort Frances. Our towns tag line now is “Great Canadian Main Street” symbolised by an Inukshuk.
Unfortunately there is little great about the downtown core, and an Inukshuk couldn’t have less to do with Fort Frances.
John, “Great Canadian Main Street” sounds like a tagline in need of an overhaul! Thank you for sharing!