DeWine administration wants Ohio to spend $50M on marketing the state

The goal is to each people who are looking to re-locate for education or business opportunities as well as help Ohio’s $48-billion tourism industry come back strong as the pandemic concludes, said Lydia Mihalik, director of the state Development Services Agency.

The boosted marketing campaign would supplement the $7-million the state routinely spends each summer to promote Ohio tourism within Ohio and in surrounding states.

“The Investing in Ohio Initiative would provide $50 million to tell a national audience about Ohio’s excellent career opportunities, top-tier colleges and universities, amazing getaways, and the inviting communities we have for people to call home,” the governor’s office said on Twitter. “As people are packing up to look for more affordable places to locate their businesses and live their lives, we want to invite them here by telling the story of Ohio. We want to position Ohio as the place to be.”

The tweets prompted a backlash from Ohioans who urged DeWine and state lawmakers to stop embracing policies such as banning abortion once a heartbeat can be detected, rolling back support for green energy, expanding gun rights and ignoring bills that would protect LGBTQ Ohioans from discrimination in housing and public places.

During a press conference earlier this month, DeWine said: “Ohio is a welcoming place. I don’t care who you are, we want you to come to Ohio. It’s a progressive state.”

Mihalik said Ohio can draw back people who left the state to try the coasts and found it wanting.

“Ohio has a lot to sell. We’ve got a great story to tell,” she said when asked if Ohio’s conservative politics may dissuade young people from wanting to move here.

The $50-million plan needs to win approval from state lawmakers who will adopt a final budget bill in June.

Mihalik noted that the marketing campaign is one element to a plan to spend $1 billion to help Ohio businesses and communities emerge from the pandemic.

“This is one that is part of the overall economic development strategy,” she said. “One that helps support that big tourism industry and helps them come back roaring strong in 2021 as we recover from the pandemic but also showcases the strengths of Ohio and really gives us an opportunity to show that quality of life, the amazing things Ohio has to offer — a great place to live and a great place to do business.”

The marketing plan will include metrics to measure success, she said.

“We want to be able to get Ohio’s brand out there and we want to be able to show over time that Ohio is top of mind for folks when they’re looking to make decisions about where their next stop is in their live, or where their next visit is,” Mihalik said.

The $50 million campaign would complement a marketing push launched by JobsOhio in September, said JobsOhio spokesman Matt Englehart. JobsOhio, which will not disclose how much it is spending, is targeting business leaders who are considering moves away from more expensive areas, such as the east and west coasts, he said.

“We want to make Ohio part of that conversation,” he said.