Following on Charles Kuffner‘s blog post on the subject, this NY Times article reports on the the “Houston. It’s Worth It” Internet-based branding campaign, which permits people who visit a Web site to describe why they enjoy Houston:

Financed in part by Michael Zilkha, a wealthy wind-energy entrepreneur and a prominent patron of the arts in Houston, a guerrilla-style branding offensive began this month. The campaign, using the slogan “Houston. It’s Worth It,” relies on descriptions of urban afflictions and images of giant mosquitoes and cockroaches to convey a sense of how Houston is nevertheless beloved by many residents.
The Internet-based branding campaign permits people who visit a Web site, www.houstonitsworthit.com, to describe in their own words why living in the city has its advantages. Functioning as a blog, or Web log, the site has received hundreds of comments from residents or people with a connection to the city.

The Times reports that one of the main goals of the originators of campaign was to distinguish it from past failed campaigns to promote Houston:

Distancing the campaign from past efforts was of paramount importance to its creators at ttweak, the marketing and advertising company based in the leafy bohemian district of Montrose. Ttweak became known in the last year for leading the unconventional advertising strategy for Bill White, a Democrat who was elected mayor of Houston in December.
“The ‘in spite of all the afflictions here’ angle really appealed to us,” said Randy Twaddle, who owns ttweak with a partner, David Thompson.

Or, as the website puts it:

“A city must know itself before it can sell itself.”

Read the whole piece.