The City of Brotherly Love now has a permanent reminder that Virginia is for Lovers, and it is courtesy of Fairfax County.
The county鈥檚 tourism marketing organization, Visit Fairfax has gifted a LOVE sculpture that is now installed at Fashion District Philadelphia, the large shopping center in downtown Philadelphia at 9th and Market Street.
While there are more than , this is the first one that has ever been permanently gifted outside of Virginia.
It marks the start of a $250,000 summer marketing campaign for Fairfax County, promoting the county as an easy and accessible travel destination for Philadelphia-area residents.
Visit Fairfax said research has shown Philadelphia is consistently a major contributor to the county鈥檚 tourism, accounting for a large percentage of visitors, visitor spending and traffic to the county鈥檚 tourism website.
Fairfax County is funding the marketing campaign with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, and through a partnership with Virginia Tourism Corporation.
The marketing campaign includes digital signage at Fashion District, as well as traditional advertising outlets in the Philadelphia market and social media.
It plays on what Visit Fairfax calls a synergy with Philadelphia symbols, like George Washington鈥檚 Mount Vernon paired with Independence Hall, Mason Neck Wildlife Refuge as the first refuge established to protect bald eagles paired with Philadelphia鈥檚 NFL team and Tysons Corner Center paired with Fashion District Philadelphia, both owned by real estate investor Macerich.
The 鈥淰irginia is for Lovers鈥� slogan is 54 years old and the longest-running tourism slogan in the country, even older than 鈥淚 鈥楬eart鈥� NY.” It was created in 1969 by the advertising firm which is now The Martin Agency in Richmond. It was for a tourism ad in Brides Magazine, and the slogan stuck.
