FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 14, 2009

Atlanta Logo Developed by Brand Atlanta Lands at the Airport

Licensing Agreement Signed with The Paradies Shops

ATLANTA – Brand Atlanta, Inc. has entered into a licensing agreement with The Paradies Shops, operator of more than 500 airport stores across the United States and Canada, 11 of which are located at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.  The Atlanta logo will be seen on store signage and on merchandise in their new store on Concourse A, opening later this month. The name of the store, “Atlanta.net” will help promote the city’s official tourism website, www.atlanta.net, which is owned and operated by the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.  Atlanta branded t-shirts, hats, mugs, and shot glasses will be available for sale.

The Atlanta logo can also be seen in new signage near the airport’s MARTA entrances featuring Atlanta-based celebrities like the Food Network’s Alton Brown, recording artist/restaurateur Ludacris, Spanx founder Sara Blakely and CNN founder Ted Turner. 

“With more than 90 million passengers annually traveling through the airport, we couldn’t be more pleased with the brand placement throughout the shops and around the terminals and concourses,” says Peggy McCormick, board chair for Brand Atlanta.  “The airport and Paradies are natural partners for us.”

Gregg Paradies, president and CEO of The Paradies Shops, is excited to feature the Atlanta logo and offer a store dedicated to promoting the great city of Atlanta. “We are proud to partner with both Brand Atlanta and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, providing passengers at the world’s busiest airport the opportunity to shop for local items that take home the Atlanta experience, as well as demonstrate first class customer service standards, which The Paradies Shops is known for.”

Focusing on the international traveler, Brand Atlanta partnered with the State of Georgia’s Department of Tourism on the production of a co-branded video.  It showcases not only Atlanta’s many assets, but the state’s as well. The Story Book Video is currently playing in the E Concourse and at international arrivals, and snippets are being shown on the CNN airport channel.

Ken Bernhardt, Regents Professor of Marketing at Georgia State's Robinson College of Business believes the licensing agreement is a good idea. "With 70 percent of the 250,000 people in the airport every day just there to change planes, the signage, the logo merchandise, and Story Book video can raise the visibility of Atlanta as a destination for a future trip,” Bernhardt says. “These people are the perfect target market for promoting Atlanta, and successfully marketing to them can generate significant dollars to Atlanta's economy."

About Brand Atlanta

Brand Atlanta, Inc. is an affiliate of The Atlanta Development Authority (ADA) and owner and promoter of the trademarked red and white Atlanta logo.  The trademark is currently licensed to Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau and The Paradies Shops.  The ADA is the official economic development agency for the City of Atlanta. ADA represents in-town Atlanta, with a population of 500,000 and growing. ADA is a research-based economic development organization, focused on residential, business and investment growth in the City.   Visit www.atlantada.com.

About The Paradies Shops

Named Best Airport Retailer for the past 14 consecutive years by Airport Revenue News, The Paradies Shops was established in 1960. A family-owned business, The Paradies Shops operates over 500 stores in more than 70 markets across the United States and Canada. With extensive experience in operating both local and national brands, to include CNBC News, PGA TOUR Shops, Brooks Brothers, Brighton Collectibles, Harley-Davidson, and The New York Times Bookstores, The Paradies Shops maintains a substantial presence as one of the largest airport retailers. Additionally, The Paradies Shops operates several hotel properties and the retail program for the Georgia Aquarium, the world's largest aquarium, located in Atlanta. For more information, please visit www.theparadiesshops.com.

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