'Grand' Effort Stirs up Controversy in Coos County: New Branding Campaign Comes Under Scrutiny by Detractors (North Country‪)‬

Two years ago, Coos County, the state's beautiful and beleaguered northern outpost, embarked on an ambitious branding campaign built around the county's three grand hotels. But the branding effort--with its slogan, "Grand Resorts, Grand Adventures"--maybe in grand trouble as it fends off a barrage of criticism from the county's three elected county commissioners and other North Country leaders. At the heart of the debate is the basic identity of the region and its people, who are decidedly not feeling too grand these days as the harsh economy destroys jobs, businesses and optimism.