February 12, 2025
uncovering-the-history-of-virginia-is-for-lovers

Uncovering the History of “Virginia Is for Lovers”

All 50 states have a slogan or phrase that represents some key features or points of interest. In addition to this, some states have slogans or nicknames that are designed to promote tourism. Virginia’s slogan, “Virginia is for Lovers,” was created over 50 years ago in Richmond, VA, and it’s now one of the most iconic slogans you’ll find almost anywhere in the world.

How It All Began

In 1969, the Virginia Tourism Corporation was looking for an ad agency to come up with a campaign for the Virginia State Travel Service Account. Martin & Wolz, Inc., a Richmond, VA, agency, won the account thanks to George Woltz.

It might surprise you to find out that the slogan did not come from Martin or Wolz; it was an idea that came from a copywriter named Robin McLaughlin. The original slogan was “Virginia is for history lovers,” but the idea was to adjust the slogan depending on what people loved about Virginia. It could become “Virginia is for beach lovers” if the ad was focused on the beach area or “Virginia is for mountain lovers “ if the ad was focused on the mountain area of the state.

The agency thought the slogan was too limiting, so they dropped the modifier to make it intentionally vague, and it became “Virginia is for Lovers.”

Inducted into the Madison Avenue Walk of Fame

Some people thought that the slogan was so ingenious that it deserved a spot in the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame. In September 2009, it was officially inducted along with the Budweiser Clydesdales and State Farm’s “Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There” slogan.

The Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame is between 42nd and 50th streets in New York City and features bronze plaques and lamppost street banners to bring the slogans to life.

virginia-is-for-lovers-love-sign

Rejected the First Time

While Wolz and Martin won the account in 1969, it was not the first time they made a pitch to get the tourism account. They made their first pitch a few years before and didn’t get the account. When Woltz went to get their portfolio after the rejection, he asked what the winning slogan was. The selection committee member couldn’t remember.

They got another chance the following year when the account came up for bid again. This time, they did more research, looking at brochures from states around the country. As they brainstormed, throwing out ideas of why people loved Virginia, they came up with “Virginia is for Lovers.”

The First Ad

After winning the account, the first ad ran in 1969 in Modern Bride magazine. The concept was a recreation of a colonial wedding set in Jamestown. Believe it or not, patients from a Virginia mental hospital were used in the background as models.

Soon after the print ad, t-shirts and buttons with the slogan came out, and as they say, the rest is history.