When the city began taking its image temperature, even Siegel was surprised at how positively visitors viewed Washington D.C., going so far as to compare it with Hawaii. The problem was that tourists came for history and monuments: The capital didn’t have the hip factor of New York or even Philadelphia, which has worked hard to get noticed for its dining scene. How to attract young, urbane travelers, while remaining appealing to families? In the end, “power” was what seemed to bridge the gap.

It’s not quite “What happens in Vegas”—though given the city’s constant stream of sex scandals, that might work too—but the low-budget campaign plays to Washington’s strengths.  

“The campaign gets to why people go there, because it’s a place where important decisions are being made,” says Siegel, who helped New Orleans, Hawaii, and Ohio create ad campaigns.

The power motif will play out in a series of print ads running in national magazines like Condé Nast Traveler, Saveur, and Black Enterprise, but only from Georgia to New York, from May to August. On television they will be in four cities: Washington, New York, Pittsburgh, and Raleigh-Durham. There is “Seat of Power,” in which a white family gazes up at the Lincoln Memorial. In “Soul Power” a black couple smiles at each other across the table at a jazz club. “Power Play” has a shot of Mayor Adrian Fenty jogging through Rock Creek Park with a friend.  

The theme will be applied to various events throughout the year—“Flower Power” for the spring cherry blossoms and “Fire Power” for July fireworks.

When the project started, city officials weren’t looking to leverage the presidential election. In fact, they were wary of reinforcing the city’s wonky CSPAN image. But with the possibility of the first female or black president, the timing couldn’t be better, Pawlowski says. “It’s a great time to show off a different side of power.”