back to article Wisconsin Tourism Federation wisely rebrands

The Wisconsin Tourism Federation will henceforth be known as the Tourism Federation of Wisconsin - a wise piece of rebranding prompted by its exposure to public ridicule on the interwebs. The Wisconsin Tourism Federation logo and its new incarnation The "lobbying coalition of trade and promotional associations" has now purged …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. jake Silver badge

    WTF?

    "Federation"?

    Really? Why?

    I don't think "federation" means what the cheese-heads think it means ...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Reminds me of Lucozade

    Many years ago, there was a large illuminated sign advertising Lucozade on the side of a building next to the Chiswick flyover on the M4. It had the product name and the accompanying strap line that manufacturer Beechams had used for decades. Not long after the discovery of HIV it was taken down although the dirty marks in the shape of the lettering hung around for a good while after and it was eventually replaced with a modified strap line. The original sign said:

    Lucozade Aids Recovery.

  3. nichomach
    WTF?

    Personally...

    ...I think they should have kept it - you can see the publicity campaign: "Come to Wisconsin, the "What The **** State! OMFGROFLWTFBBQ!!!1111"

  4. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Priceless!

    Couldn't resist.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    seem to remember

    The War Against Terrorism became The War On Terror fairly quickly.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Nice

    They should have gone with Federation of Tourism Wisconsin.

    Then they could have had a Milwaukee FTW office.

  7. DJ 2
    Thumb Up

    it begs the question

    The **** why would you go to wisconsin?

    DJ

  8. breakfast Silver badge
    WTF?

    Could have turned the tables further...

    Federation for Tourism in Wisconsin FTW.

    However, I think they could probably have made profit with some stylish t-shirts for the young folks to wear.

  9. Avalanche
    Pint

    @DJ 2

    One reason to go to Wisconsin is the 'spotted cow' beer; you can't get it outside of Wisconsin (and certainly not here in the Netherlands).

  10. Major N
    Grenade

    heh

    I remember going past a large DIY superstore on tyhe train, where one of the illuminated letters had burnt out, and the building was proudly proclaiming itself thusly:

    B&Q WAR HOUSE

    The lucozade story rocks.

  11. ShaggyDoggy

    T-shirt

    Where can I get a Wisconsin Tourism Federation t-shirt ?

    (original logo if you please0

  12. tfewster
    IT Angle

    Reminds me of an ex employer...

    ...who had an internal campaign called "Winning The Future" which, of course, got abbreviated even in official updates. Twas most amusing to receive emails with "WTF" in the subject line.

    It was a IT company, so there's your IT angle

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Headmaster

    Not an acronym

    read the title

  14. Mark Grady 1
    WTF?

    Not a patch on the OGC logo ...

    Nuff said.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    WTF in emails?

    My company use a Time and Attendance system and it is frequently abbreivated in emails to T&A, which makes me laugh. OK, so it's a bit of an American expression but still.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Next up ...

    ... the World Taekwondo Federation!

  17. Throatwobbler Mangrove

    mmmm

    "why would you go to wisconsin?"

    Cheese + beer + colleges = hardcore fondue kneesups.

  18. jim1888

    Rebranding

    The villiage of Ugley in essex have had similar rebranding excercises. The Womens Institute there has special permission to call itself 'The WI of Ugley' rather than the proper 'The Ugley WI'

    Not in any way IT related but still funny

  19. Apocalypse Later

    Back in the 70s

    I think it was, Guy Kewney wrote about a press conference the British Microcomputer Federation (BMF) had called to announce that they were changing their name to the "British Microcomputer Federation, UK". When Guy himself stood up and pointed out the way the new acronym was likely to be pronounced, the conference was hurriedly ended and the name change never came to pass.

  20. Floormeister

    Bong Recreation Area

    One of the wonderful parks promoted by . . . WTF:

    http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/bong/

  21. Random Coolzip

    Back in the 80s...

    When I was in college, the department I worked for hosted the Agricultural Info-Data Service. When the director brought it up to the board that perhaps a name change would be in order, given the public's growing awareness of the then-new disease, he was roundly ignored. It actually took several years of continued abuse and ridicule before the board wised up.

  22. transientcylon
    Headmaster

    @Jake 8:24

    Check your dictionary sir:

    1 : an encompassing political or societal entity formed by uniting smaller or more localized entities

    b : a union of organizations

    Given that this is likely a group of businesses promoting tourism I don't see your point?

  23. Serenity
    WTF?

    One of my favorites

    Was the brief period in South Carolina when the Furman University Paladins were knowns as the Furman University Christian Knights.

    Didn't take to many abbreviations on banners for them to change that one.

  24. Bilby

    Aids for all

    Suddenly and inexplicably changed the name of their shop in the 80's - They sold wheelchairs and mobility devices from a shop in Headingley IIRC

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    @it begs the question

    I am not going back. I once got the shit kicked out of me in Wisconsin.

  26. jake Silver badge

    @transientcylon

    "Check your dictionary sir"

    I did done do that ... and discovered something new.

    In my mind "federation" is a purely political word, and has nothing to do with RealLife(tm) commerce (which rarely pays much attention to politics ... bottom-line has no political boundaries).

    Mea culpa, and thank you :-)

This topic is closed for new posts.