“Costa Rica, no artificial ingredients” has been a brand that, in the words of the designated Minister of Tourism, Wilhelm von Breymann, “has really characterized us and people have identified with it as much on the outside as within the country”.
The minister, that will take the reins of the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT), said on Wednesday that bringing back the brand is something he will be considering.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself”, said von Breymann, but it’s something that cannot be ignored.
Last year, the country opted for a change, developing the “Esencial Costa Rica” brand to replace the “No Artificial Ingredients“. At a cost of US$650.000 dollars, the “Esencial” brand was received with criticism and so far only four companies have been licensed to use it.
The minister-appointee is not saying that “Esencial” will be scrapped. But, he is of the opinion that perhaps both brands can be used. “The country brand (Esencial) sounds good, it has to be exploited more, but I don’t want to let go of the other (Ingredients) entirely”, said von Breymann.
Source: CRHoy.com
I’ve had MANY tourists share with me that they didn’t feel “Costa Rica, no artificial ingredients” actually fully accurate & in some ways it’s HURT Costa Rica more than helped them. Once they saw the rivers & road sides & learned about CR being the #1 or #2 country for the most pesticide use, or selling off some of the national parks to developers, or allowing Gold Mines to be bought & then taking away the rights, or allowing Shark Finning or other things that harm the ocean, or that they go after environmentalists trying to HELP the environment vs the criminals, or not finding murderers who killed people helping turtles . . . . It’s sad what CR has allowed such things to happen to their AWESOME country!!
An encouraging voice of reason. The new slogan logo is hard to read and, if read correctly, says nothing.
Of course, both slogans belie the fact that Costa Rica far outdistances all other countries on the planet in the use of toxic pesticides.