Apparently, New Hampshire doesn’t have a brand, and to some, this is a problem worth spending money to fix.

A recent story in the Boston Globe caught our attention here at Conservation New Hampshire.

You know.  Maine has moose and lobster.  Vermont has maple syrup, ice cream, and hippies.  Here in New Hampshire…. well… we must have something… right?

To correct NH’s brand deficit disorder, the state has hired the same Orlando based marketing company that helped the American Association of Nude Recreation brand themselves. Ypartnership will help New Hampshire redefine who we are so we can better market ourselves and our products to potential tourists. We can expect our SWOT analysis and branding report later this summer.

Brand image aside, we must be doing something right. New Hampshire has more visitors coming than our neighbors to the east and west, and people apparently like it here (no news on Massachusetts, but who wants to visit Mass when Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are so close?).  Visitors spent about $4.2 billion, according to the state, creating about $136.4 million in rooms and meals taxes.

While we no longer have the old man, the mountain he sat on is still there for all to visit.

So, what kinds of things will be in the branding report?   Here are some of our educated guesses:

• Natural beauty – This encompasses our lakes, mountains, oceans and all things in between.  New Hampshire is outdoors at its finest – hiking, fishing and leaf peeping.

• History and small town character – Think Portsmouth, Keene, Conway – and everywhere in between.

• Wildlife – Everyone loves a good moose.

• Skiing – We are not in the same league as Utah, but if you like icy Northeast downhill, NH is the place to be.

• Authenticity – We have working farms and forests, blue collar cities, and genuine town governments.  New Hampshire has retained the New England character some of our neighbors have lost.  Simply think “New Hampshire Primary.”

It is funny that the things that people come to the state for are the very things state government has a tough time funding as priorities.  Our Governor and legislature repeatedly slash funding to preserve open space and historic preservation, raid funding for public boat access to our rivers and lakes, and allow our state parks to wither on the vine with inadequate funding and minimal upkeep.

It seems to us that perhaps the state is putting the cart before the horse by spending time and money trying to create a brand image. Rather, officials may be better off spending some time figuring out how to adequately allocate resources to preserve and protect our natural and historic legacy.

It is nice to think that a marketing company in Florida can create a New Hampshire brand for us, but in reality, we all understand that our brand is all around us – it is our environment and quality of life.  If we want  to continue to attract visitors to our state, perhaps we should think strategically about how we invest in the protection of the assets we do have. Otherwise, we will simply be a rest stop (and liquor outlet) for visitors wanting to check out the latest Ben and Jerry’s flavor and the rugged Maine coast.