Boost Buffalo… It’s good for you!

       By Steve Cichon
       steve@buffalostories.com
       @stevebuffalo


Excerpt from 100 Years of Buffalo Broadcasting 


Starting in 1960, Buffalo radio and television stations were donating an estimated $30,000 per month in commercial airtime for the Chamber of Commerce’s “Boost Buffalo” campaign.

What’s the best home town of all? Winter, Summer, spring and fall?

Buffalo! Buffalo! Boost Buffalo it’s good for you!

Boost Buffalo it’s good for you! Buffalo’s ideal for work or play! Buffalo’s ideal in every way!

There’s plenty to boast about in Buffalo!—The Boost Buffalo Jingle

“Boost Buffalo” was everywhere.

Commercials blared on radios and TVs, and also filled were billboards and the back of cars– with 10,000 bumper stickers printed, all organized by the marketing men of Buffalo.

“Some people poke fun at the ‘Boost Buffalo, it’s good for you’ slogan,” a chamber official said, “but that only shows that it’s caught on, that everybody’s heard of it, and that it’s good.”


This page is an excerpt from  100 Years of Buffalo Broadcasting by Steve Cichon

The full text of the book is now online.

The original 436-page book is available along with Steve’s other books online at The Buffalo Stories Bookstore and from fine booksellers around Western New York. 

©2020, 2021 Buffalo Stories LLC, staffannouncer.com, and Steve Cichon

Boost Buffalo– yelling at Buffalonians to love our city

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

If you were around in Buffalo in the 1960s, you can’t help but remember the “Boost Buffalo” jingle.

The Boost Buffalo campaign started hitting Buffalo radios, TVs, and with 10,000 bumper stickers in 1960, organized by the marketing men of Buffalo.

The decline of many of Buffalo’s major industries had already begun—but in 1960, Chamber of Commerce President Whitworth Ferguson told one luncheon that Buffalo was the ninth fastest growing city in the country, and it was important to Boost Buffalo because “with an enlarged spirit of cooperation, we can obtain for our citizens an even greater level of prosperity and well-being.”

1965 ad.

Buffalo’s Chamber of Commerce seemed to blame the massive hemorrhaging of industry from Western New York on the bad attitude of Buffalonians.

Clifford Furnas, Henry Comstock, and Mayor Frank Sedita kicking off “Boost Buffalo,” 1960.

Henry Comstock of Comstock Advertising which created the Boost Buffalo campaign and jingle.

“Buffalo’s record on almost every score is far above the average,” said Comstock, “yet our people seem prone to find fault and seem to delight in picking on small insignificant short comings.”

At the unveiling of the campaign, UB Chancellor Dr. Clifford C. Furnas declared that “the negative attitudes about the city expressed by many are entirely unjustified,” and added that “perhaps we have been resting on our laurels.”


MORE:

If you grew up in Buffalo in the 1960s, you can’t help but remember the “Boost Buffalo” jingle. But that was the idea behind the slogan, as it was explained in 1964 when the special Chamber of Commerce “Boost Buffalo” committee elected new leadership.

” ‘Boost Buffalo’ leader is named”

“ ‘Some people poke fun at the “Boost Buffalo, it’s good for you” slogan,’ a chamber official said, ‘but that only shows that it’s caught on, that everybody’s heard of it, and that it’s good.’ ”

Buffalo in the ’20s: ‘The spirit of Buffalo is unshackled’

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

Buffalo is on the upswing, and Buffalo’s people need to help Buffalo’s businesses continue that trend.

That was the message spread over four newspaper pages along with a listing of several hundred businesses that were “devoted to making Buffalo a bigger and better city.”

The “progressive and wide awake Buffalo businesses” who sponsored the list came from every section of the city and were representative of every manner of business, big and small, all looking to see the city through growth to a population of 650,000 people. The city’s population, by the way, peaked when Buffalo was America’s 15th largest city in 1950 with 580,000 residents.

we-believe-in-buffalo-1

BUFFALO IS AWAKE

Today, as never before, we face the future of Buffalo with supreme confidence—Buffalo is awake. Throughout the whole city there is a growing realization of the unlimited resources for civic development—of the presence here of almost every element which makes for community progress.

Superb railway facilities link Buffalo with the markets of America. Smooth paved highways in every direction cover one of the richest districts in the world. Abundant supplies of fresh, pure water—enough to serve Buffalo with all its growth for years to come — are provided.

Schools, streets, lights, police and fire protection, all are equal to the best the world affords. No single physical obstacle blocks the path of progress for Buffalo.

Amazing as the growth of Buffalo has been, we have seen only its beginnings. The greatest development lies ahead. On every hand we see the signs of progress. One time cow paths are turned into beautiful boulevards. Ancient buildings are giving way to stately and beautiful structures. Touched by the magic wand of confidence Buffalo is blossoming into an ever greater city—into an ever better place in which to live.

Lack of vision might have made the Buffalo of today a country village. But the inertia that is today our only danger is vanishing. The spirit of Buffalo is unshackled. A new faith is rising ever higher—a faith born of intimate contact with facts.

Buffalo people today know what lies upon their doorsteps. They are seizing quickly the advantages that Buffalo offers and are making Buffalo always a city more worthwhile.

Yes, we believe in Buffalo.

we-believe-in-buffalo-2

MAKE IT A BETTER BUFFALO

Resolve now that whenever the occasion presents itself you will endeavor to do a constructive act for Buffalo.

The progress of this city is entirely in your hands. Whether Buffalo goes forward or backward depends on your individual effort.

The success of Buffalo depends largely upon the success of the business institutions and the success of the business institutions depends absolutely upon you.

Whenever you patronize a Buffalo business house you do a constructive act.

Make a constructive resolution now and one year from today you will feel happier in the consciousness that you have helped build up a better city.

Now! All Together Make it a Better Buffalo!

we-believe-in-buffalo-3

WE HAVE FAITH IN BUFFALO

Buffalo is in the center of a territory rich and inexhaustible in basic raw materials, which can be laid down at the city door by lake, canal or rail without transshipment in a shorter time and at a lower rate than other cities.

Out of 356 different lines of manufacture in the United States census, Buffalo has 213 or 60%. This is a more diversified line than any other American city, and a striking guarantee of stable business conditions and sound industrial development.

Buffalo is the second largest railroad center in the world, surpassed only by Chicago. The city is served by 11 main lines.  There are 14 freight stations and upwards of 700 miles of railroad tracks. More than 300 passenger trains arrive and depart from Buffalo daily.

Why of course “We Believe in Buffalo” and 650,000 by 1930.

Buffalo in the ’60s: Buffalo ‘will remain unchallenged’ as world’s flour-milling center

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

Fifty-five years later, Buffalonians are growing increasing excited as new and innovative uses are being created for the aging, hulking grain elevators and mills along the Buffalo River.

But this week in 1960, the chairman of International Milling would have “looked at you funny” had you told him the best use for grain elevators might be to wrap them to look like beer cans so people have something interesting to look at while they play outdoor ice hockey.

Charles Ritz — who hailed from Minneapolis, not Buffalo, mind you — said things like “Buffalo’s geographic advantage cannot be matched” and “Buffalo is best situated to supply growing populations of the American Northeast.”

25 aug 1960 buffalo will remain flour giant