From self-promotion into self-parody: Exploring how SD promotes itself and tries to attract new residents

Reports inform us that South Dakota has allocated $5 million for a campaign claiming we have more freedom than other states.

This “Freedom” ostensibly includes disregarding federal and medical guidelines meant to limit contacts, exposure, and infections — specifically, actions mandated or encouraged by authorities in other states. Other politically tinged implications ride with that theme although it’s not clear which freedoms are to be embraced as others are limited.

Historically low unemployment rates are stifling employers. This campaign (a photo from it on a State of South Dakota website is shown above) endeavors to attract workers. Are there folks out there so angry about Covid restrictions they would pack up and move because of it? Reports count many campaign contacts leading to many inquiries, but will people actually move?

Seems dubious, but we live in strange times — anecdotal success stories are heard now and then.

Experience in Aberdeen tells us individuals and their families relocate for a list of reasons that gets quite long before “freedom” is heard. Aberdeen had a growth spurt over a decade ago with some major new businesses; finding employees became really difficult. As efforts succeeded and failed, we developed an understanding of why or why not.

Obviously, it’s all about good jobs with good pay and good benefits. Private business initiatives and strategies are so much more important than anything that government can do. Actual, identifiable jobs (not mysterious $77,000 apprentice opportunities) must be waiting to entice newcomers. We saw no clear evidence that jingles,slogans and image campaigns had much of an effect, although they did make locals feel better about themselves.

“Life is good is Aberdeen” was well-received.

Beyond the attraction of actual job openings, some other factors can help or hurt:

1. Housing. From apartments to high-end homes and everything in between. If not available, prospects look elsewhere. It’s much better now, but there was a time when Aberdeen was struggling with housing for newcomers filling entry level positions. Upper management hires can be discouraged if no upscale homes are for sale.

2. Day care. If it’s a two-employee family, struggling with day-care costs and openings can be deal breakers.

3. Appropriate opportunities for one’s spouse. Potential hires have been lost because the spouse can’t find something to fit their profession and training and/or income needs.

4. Friends and family. Not always crucial, but a potential plus if newcomers have some connections waiting here.

5. Aggressive employer assistance for employees with language and cultural adjustments. Firms who have provided ongoing day-to-day practical services have found it to help recruit and retain.

6. Friendly welcoming for immigrants and others with concerns about acceptance. Individuals desperate for any paying job as a way to provide for their family will endure just about anything, but a friendly community helps retain and encourage them to attract others.

Freedom? Hardly ever mentioned — actually, never. But, everything else being equal, it is impossible to say it can’t be a factor. Do the strategies of this campaign lead to actual relocations? For example, how does sponsoring a race car help? (The irony of a state struggling to stay out of last place in teacher salaries now associated with a race car trying to do the same has been noted).

We are probably not the first state to turn self-promotion into self-parody. It does seem it would be better to spend $5 million on direct assistance to employees or employers. Maybe it would be better to hire all in-state PR firms.

Big picture, though, this is not a big chunk of a multi-billion dollar state budget, and there are other, more practical, state programs in place. So, in total, not really a big deal.

And, if one of the objectives was to simply get a particular image into videos nationwide, that has apparently succeeded. 

Mike Levsen is a former mayor of Aberdeen.