MN Shutdown Is Tarnishing Image

Right now, the "Minnesota nice" brand is not being upheld.

Not one politician in the Minnesota state legislation lists their primary occupation as advertising or public relations executive. Usually the ad and pr people get a bad rep for spinning the truth or creating an image that is not, but currently I believe our state could really benefit from having one on board. Clearly, current officeholders can't see how deeply damaging the state government shutdown is to MN's brand.

A brand is a set of associations that resides in people's minds. Shutdown stories have been splashed on the front pages of national newspapers. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times opined about it last Wednesday. Cable and network newscasts have routinely run reports and commentary on our dysfunctional democracy. And these-brand damaging stores have been echoed online, as well as on air via local and national talk radio shows.

Adding to the brand insult to injury, Fitch Rating just cut our bond rating from AAA to AA+. And presidential campaign ads from former Governor Tim Pawlenty, boasting that he won in 2005, remind the country that this is our second shutdown in six years.

The job cuts and holds are extremely damaging too as far as trust goes. People may or may not like a brand, but they'll still trust it. An inability for a brand to do its core job at its lowest level is very troubling.

Also, this image projects the idea that Minnesota doesn't have it figured out. We have portrayed this image of having a great quality of life, but this really damages that. Before, people across the country looked to us and thought of our great health care, great education and well balanced living.

Also, the national level may be in a similar situation if they can't resolve its fiscal crises. Wisconsin was similarly used as a framing divide for the national debate over public employee unions when its capitol was convulsed with protests last winter.

In the end, our brand is super important. Beyond the business perceptions, the state's brand is critically important, because it affects tourism and all of the lives in our state. Regardless of what happens to our brand, this entire screw up and inability to negotiate is affecting our state's quality of life. The layoffs will soon affect many more people than just the state workers and they will just need to give in on something. I hope they figure that out soon.