Our community's opportunity to host Super Bowl LII allowed us to demonstrate that weather was not an impediment. Instead, it augmented a memorable experience for fans. The messaging for that promise came in the form of the phrase, “Bold North.”

Bold North was the precursor to an increased focus on our unique geographic and cultural attributes. Explore Minnesota Tourism (EMT) reflects that focus in its new “Find Your True North” campaign. The campaign is the result of EMT's new advertising agency, Adventure Creative. Its recent selection as the “agency of record” came after a highly competitive bidding process overseen by a panel of industry experts and stakeholders. That panel included Meet Minneapolis Vice President of Branding and Strategy, Courtney Ries.

EMT explains that "True North ... supports and strengthens the #OnlyinMN positioning with a new campaign slogan that states ‘Find Your True North. #OnlyinMN.’"

The new campaign was unveiled this week as Governor Tim Walz kicked off the 2019 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference in St. Paul. Governor Walz encouraged attendees and other travel and tourism professionals to embrace the new campaign for its value as marketing tool and because it embodies the way of life in Minnesota. He referenced how Minnesotans continued to live their lives and help their neighbors even as the rest of country had sympathy for us during our recent Polar Vortex.

The Minnesota Timberwolves tell fans to direct “All Eyes North.” Caribou Coffee reminds patrons that their brand was “Born in the North.” Askov Finlayson, through its products and its unapologetic founder Eric Dayton, presses us to help “Keep the North Cold.”

It’s clear that Minnesotans have embraced “North” in many forms. As is the case with any branding, it must be believable, be able to uniquely distinguish the product, and the product must be able to deliver on the promise. I find “Your Truth North” does all of those things and will help us to grow our statewide and metro region tourism industries.