Why Don't We Just Change Our Slogan to "Kick Me"?

Update: KIRO wants to know if you like metronatural, don't like it, or don't have an opinion. Since "stupidest slogan we've heard since 'Say WA'" wasn't an option, we chose "don't like it," as did 78% of the people who bothered to weigh in.

Also, Adrants a) joins the mockery pile-on, and b) credits the $200,000 campaign to local agency Exclaim. Congratulations, we guess.

Original post: Gridskipper is the first blog--though we're sure will be many more--to point and laugh at us for our ridiculous new slogan.

"We have a new slogan," you ask? Yes, and it's worse than "Say WA." It's an example of that hoary old advertising chestnut, the fake new word: metronatural. We'll let Gridskipper start the mocking:

Et tu, Seattle? Pacific Northwest nonchalance has lost another one of its urban centers to the trend of lowercase made-up words as Seattle unveils its new branding image: Seattle: metronatural. According to the press release, the campaign is meant to capitalize on Seattle's "vibrant urban center surrounded by pristine wilderness and outdoor recreation." Sadly, of the 171,476 words in current found in the OED, the tourism board couldn't find one that expressed the bifurcated nature of Seattle's "embarrasment of riches" so they've made up their own. Move over frequent liar and arm restle, the travel industry has a new stupid neologism on the block.

Metronatural's coiners and giddy-headed advocates, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, are more gung-ho:

Say "metronatural" a few times and you will never forget it. Metronatural works by combining the two words that most eloquently define the experience of Seattle.

Metronatural also has a decidedly modern feel to it. Although new, the word is familiar in tone and easy to grasp the meaning of. Upon hearing it for the first time, people will quickly "define" the word for themselves, leading to a personal connection with the brand.

In other words, metronatural works by sticking around and standing out. It works by being unique and meaningful. It works by being just like our city: impossible to forget.

You'll just wish you could forget it. But since we can't get it out of our heads, we'll enjoy the fact that you can sing it to the tune of the Ramones' "Psychotherapy."