Stroman believes more people would remember it if more money had been spent to push it. Utah needs to avoid that this time by ensuring that its brand remains consistent and backed with funding, he said.

"Everything you do has to reflect that brand, and people will soon begin to associate Utah with that brand," he said. "You can't just use it once or twice. Branding takes a while."

Von der Esch realizes not everyone will be smitten with the new brand, no matter how effective it may prove to be.

"This is not for the faint of heart. You do the best you can and know that, going forward, the three words or five words you use are not going to be to everybody's liking, but the follow-up campaign and the marketing campaign can be," she said.

Coming soon

For her part, Rugh would like to see a brand that emphasizes Utah's outdoors: skiing, red rock, canyons, mountain biking. "Utah, in terms of being distinctive, it's really a playground, and it's so accessible," she said.

Stroman agrees. The environment, clean air, ski areas, monuments, even its distinctive four-season climate are hallmarks he cites.

"There's a diversity as far as the environment goes. And it's not a crowded state yet. You can still get away from people and enjoy the outdoors, whether you like skiing or like it where it's hot," he said.

"You've got to know the audience you're targeting. Things we might think, as Utahns, are unique and interesting, people outside the state may think of as boring and not very interesting."

The mystery of Utah's brand soon will be revealed. It could be the springboard for more lame Utah jokes, or it could be the source of local pride. Either way, lots of money is riding on it in the form of tourists with plenty of cash that could benefit Utah businesses as well as the state's tax coffers.

"I'm very confident in them," Rugh said of those working on the brand. "I have my fingers crossed. I want more money to come to this state. It makes life better for me, as a state resident."

---

Contributing: Bloomberg News; Associated Press

E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com