Fork it! I’m not trying to be rude; I’m just echoing the new marketing message “Fork the recession . . . Feed the recovery” that the Colorado Restaurant Association launched during a news conference Wednesday at Lala’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar at East Seventh Avenue and Logan Street.
The $150,000 multimedia ad campaign — including TV, radio, print, online and billboard advertising — is aimed at getting you out of your kitchen and into a restaurant.
“There are weeks that if we didn’t have restaurants, I wouldn’t be able to eat,” said Mayor John Hickenlooper, who as founder of the Wynkoop Brewing Co. was in pubs before he was in politics. “The real competition is the TV screen. We have to get people off the couch and into restaurants.”
The “eat out more” ad campaign was created by Denver-based advertising agency Vladimir Jones and the CRA as their version of the economic-stimulus package.
“I want to emphasize how important this industry is to the state of Colorado,” said Gov. Bill Ritter, who followed the mayor in leading the “Fork the recession” charge. “The restaurant industry employs four out of every 10 retail workers. The restaurant industry ensures vibrancy in the state’s economy.”
The campaign will run through the end of May. Restaurants are encouraged to add their own discount- dining deals they can include on “Fork the recession” posters.
“We’re eating our way out of the recession,” said Pete Meersman, restaurant association president and chief executive.
Pretty political peeps.
Some say politics isn’t pretty. But don’t tell that to Face the State, the buzzy online news resource for folks interested in state and local politics.
At , the site lists Colorado’s Hottest Politicos for 2009. Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you be the judge.
The hot-topic hotties are: state Sen. Bill Cadman, lawyer/radio host Dan Caplis, Shawn Coleman of U.S. Rep. Jared Polis’ office, Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, state Rep. Cory Gardner, entrepreneur Josh Hanfling, CU Regent Tom Lucero, political consultant Kelly Maher, the Independence Institute’s Julie Mallon, state House reading clerk Kevin Niemond, Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, lobbyist Josh Rael, lobbyist Sandra Sulin, state Sen. Nancy Spence, state Rep. Amy Stephens, lawyer Brian Vicente and Libertarian Party lawyer Dave Williams.
Eavesdropping.
A gay male lobbyist at the state Capitol during a meeting about a ballot measure allowing civil unions: “I just want to be able to register at Pottery Barn and get a new set of dishes.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
