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17 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 e. New Slogan for Interstate NCDOT Welcome Sign <br /> 3 The Board reviewed slogans submitted for the Interstate Welcome Sign campaign that <br /> 4 encouraged residents to help Orange County develop a slogan for its Interstate Welcome Signs <br /> 5 and consider selecting a slogan to use on the Interstate Welcome Sign. <br /> 6 Laurie Paolicelli reviewed the following background: <br /> 7 <br /> 8 BACKGROUND: <br /> 9 Currently the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Interstate sign on 1-40 <br /> 10 (west bound exit 269) uses the slogan, "You'll be a Fan for Life." NCDOT needs to replace the <br /> 11 sign due to damage. Prior to its replacement, the Board of County Commissioners embarked <br /> 12 on an initiative to develop a new slogan to be incorporated into the welcome sign. The slogan <br /> 13 contest was implemented by the Orange County Visitors Bureau, using a local media partner to <br /> 14 promote the campaign and track submissions. From the nearly 900 slogans submitted, the list <br /> 15 was narrowed to 495. From there, duplicates and Chapel Hill (exclusively) slogans were <br /> 16 eliminated, which provided 51 slogans, which were viable for consideration. <br /> 17 <br /> 18 At the contest's end in mid-January, the Visitors Bureau's media partner worked with the Board <br /> 19 to narrow the list to 11. This list of 11 was posted on media sites for public review and <br /> 20 feedback through an on-line opinion poll. <br /> 21 Laurie Paolicelli said the response from the public was amazing. She said her media <br /> 22 partners are signed up to speak on this, since they were intricately involved in this process and <br /> 23 contest. She said all agreed to let the residents direct the conversation, and the residents <br /> 24 mostly told them of Orange County's progressive values and social justice assertiveness. She <br /> 25 reviewed some of the highlights of the campaign via PowerPoint slides: <br /> 26 <br /> 27 • Nine week promotion, launched in December 2015 <br /> 28 • 892 Total entries received <br /> 29 • Four major themes: progressive values, Orange, Tar Heel, and the "other" blue team. <br /> 30 • 2,000 fans voted on their top favorites <br /> 31 • Picture and graphs <br /> 32 • #1 vote: "Visit Today and Stay For Life". <br /> 33 <br /> 34 Laurie Paolicelli said it was made clear to voters that the quantity of votes received by a <br /> 35 slogan would not necessarily determine the outcome in the contest. She said she is not <br /> 36 recommending this one, as it so similar to the current slogan. She went through the top 11 vote <br /> 37 getters. <br /> 38 <br /> 39 PUBLIC COMMENT: <br /> 40 Jan Bolick said she is here representing WCHL, and said they were thrilled with their <br /> 41 role in this contest and process. She said the campaign was launched in December 2015 and <br /> 42 ran through January 2016 with on air interviews with Orange County Commissioners on this <br /> 43 slogan process. She said when the slogans were whittled down to 11 they were put out as "fan <br /> 44 favorites," noting to the public that the Board of County Commissioners would make the final <br /> 45 choice. She said there was a great deal of excitement, which has hit a lull for three months <br /> 46 while County staff and the BOCC were deliberating. <br /> 47 Bob Burtman thanked the Board of County Commissioners for its support of his local <br /> 48 radio station in Hillsborough. He said they were asked to participate in this process, and they <br /> 49 were amazed at all of the positive reception and the admissions of slogans. He said public <br /> 50 engagement was high. He encouraged the Board to pick a slogan in a timely manner, which <br />