OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.COM
MAY 4, 2023
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
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Tyler Mailloux, 22, of Berlin, was summoned on 17 offenses in July ’22 hit-and-run – Page 22
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Businesses ask C3 about festival plans
HUNTER HINE/OCEAN CITY TODAY
Expanded footprint could include Boardwalk section
Resort marketing all smiles By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (May 5, 2023) With the pointed push of a button on a desk, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan officially “unleashed the smile” for the world to see this week. The move, seen in a videotaped spot at the end of a series of inspi-
rational and motivational old movie clips, preceded the city’s formal activation of its new brand at a “Kick Off to Summer” event Wednesday in the inlet parking lot. Local and regional officials, staff, business and hospitality representatives and members of the public gathered inside a tent
decked out in OC smiley face logos and the brand’s signature colors for the announcement, which has been in development for a while. See MARKETING Page 3 *** Tom Perlozzo, Ocean City’s tourism director, shows his affinity for the resort’s brand by wearing a smiley face suit.
By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (May 5, 2023) All in or all out. That’s the decision dozens of Boardwalk business owners will collectively make in the coming weeks regarding the footprint of the upcoming Oceans Calling Festival. “The business community has got to do this together,” Dough Roller owner Kevin Gibbs said this week after a closed meeting between festival representatives, city officials and a cross-section of business owners from the inlet toward North Division Street. “I feel that the promotional company did their job by providing us all the logistical questions and answers,” he continued. Gibbs, who also chairs the Ocean City Development Corporation, attended the meeting Monday in the City Council chambers primarily as a business owner. About 20 to 30 other owners also attended. Set Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 in the inlet lot and surrounding beach, Oceans Calling is expected to attract between 35,000 and 50,000 people See BUSINESSES Page 4
Budget hearing focuses on schools, public safety Usual gap exists between money coming in versus depts.’ spending requests By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (May 5, 2023) The needs of the people and the local government that is charged with providing those needs
change considerably over time, but over the years the wants of the people of Worcester County have stayed pretty consistent: Take care of our educators and first responders. Twenty-one residents and officials from both government and local organizations spoke their minds at the annual public hearing for the Worcester County operational budget
and proposed real property tax rate of $0.845 per $100 of assessment Tuesday evening. The proposed rate is the same as last year’s, but about 2.5 cents higher than the constant yield tax rate, the rate at which the county would generate the same revenue in FY24 as it will in FY23. Before public comment, county officials broke down the costs and re-
quests of county departments, outlining the $11.6 million structural deficit the county faces in FY2024. Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young outlined 10 “budget issues” that the county faces, which include funding the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education overhaul, other education needs and reSee PUBLIC Page 6
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Ocean City Today
MAY 5, 2023
MAY 5, 2023
Marketing campaign activated Continued from Page 1 “It’s been six to eight months we’ve been teasing the brand out with [marketing firm] BVK and our staff. So we’re excited to show you more about that,” Tourism and Business Director Tom Perlozzo said to the modest crowd Wednesday. “ … I just wanted to tell you a few things of why we think tourism is sort of our super system here in Ocean City. It’s an economic development driver. No question, it attracts. It’s got retention. It’s a catalyst for moving our destination forward.” Perlozzo came decked out in his signature blue and yellow smiley face suit, which he showcased during the first reveal of the logo and “Somewhere to Smile About” tagline in November, and walked out on stage to the beginning chords of McFadden & Whitehead’s “Ain’t No Stopping us Now.” He pointed out that the song choice was deliberate, and promised that he and his staff, along with the BVK marketing team, are not stopping in their effort to make Ocean City a world-class destination. “I’ll tell you, if you know me and you know the staff, you need to buckle up,” Perlozzo said. “Because I can tell you we’re coming out and we’re going to kick some butt.” According to city officials, the new brand highlights “all the reasons to pack up the family and hit the road for the ultimate summer trip to Ocean City.” The efforts so far to relay that message, and the plans still in the works, were summarized Wednesday in a “Year in Review” video. And from new commercials to influencer campaigns to articles in travel magazines, the BVK team has
hit the ground running on marketing the resort with millions of engagements. The overall rebranding effort also includes a campaign focused on golf, plans to remodel the convention center and new and improved special and annual events. This is the first time Ocean City has had an official “brand” with all the bells and whistles. Officials began shopping in 2021 for a firm to make it happen, and by the end of the year, BVK was awarded a $975,000 contract. Members of the marketing team spent the following months getting to know the resort and its residents and visitors. The research helped them decide the best methods and places to showcase the new brand and associated details. BVK staff first unveiled the new winky OC smiley face logo — which has received mixed reviews — and the “Somewhere to Smile About” tagline in November. Both have been plastered on marketing materials and in prominent places all over Ocean City and in tourist feeder markets. Part of the effort also includes a new “Catch a Ride” campaign, which BVK representatives announced at a Tourism Commission meeting last month. The promotional pop-up will target residents in select neighborhoods in Washington D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia and offer chances to win free stays in Ocean City with use of a beach van concierge, road trip kits complete with resort-themed games and snacks, city guides featuring 30plus local business sponsorships, and other prizes and giveaways. The marketing team made efforts to ensure the concierge vehicle stands See PUBLIC Page 8
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