Building a Brand One Homicide at at Time

Outspoken New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin seems to have let his words get away from him again.

In commenting on the city's rather chilling murder statistics, he noted that the 117 murders this year are "not good for us, but it also keeps the New Orleans brand out there." And the award for invoking marketing terminology in the cause of astonishing insensitivity on the part of a public servant goes to....

Now if I were his press secretary, here are some talking points I might have provided:
1) This is wholly unacceptable for our city and as mayor, I'm doing everything I can to combat and curtail the violence, which in many cases has been aggravated by the aftermath of Katrina. (Acknowledge the gravity of the problem and point out, perhaps even in more specific terms, that you're taking action to address the problem. Also remind people that your city has still not recovered from an epic natural disaster that shocked and saddened the world.)
2) As we've continued to rebuild this great city and made it once again one of America's top tourist destinations, we understand that this news intensifies our challenge. (Reaffirm the city's "brand" by referring to it as a favorite destination. Recognize that violent crime has a direct impact on tourism).
3) We've come a long way and accomplished much in a very short period of time. The people of this city are brave, resilient, hard-working, and optimistic. It's true that we still face significant challenges but we have turned a corner, we've restored the glory of our great city, and we're very much open for business. And the ever-growing number of visitors to New Orleans is a testament to the incredible rebuilding work we've done. (We don't want your pity, we want your business).

If Nagin was attempting to evoke pity that would somehow translate into more federal assistance, it's a losing strategy that only undermines "the brand." Sure, people shouldn't forget about New Orleans. But don't say, "Remember, we need help because our murder rates are off the charts." This is sort of like a company saying, "Our product recall should serve as a reminder that we need people to buy our products."