Story Archive

Bitterness in Bitterroot

The Ravalli County (Mont.) Tourism Business Improvement District was formed to promote the Bitterroot Valley. An advertising company offered a billboard. “We were really excited,” board member Robbie Springs said. “The five-member board decided it should feature the wonderful fishing we have here.” The resulting design showed a fisherman catching a bass with a plug, and the billboard was approved. The problem: Bitterroot Valley is famous for fly fishing and trout. “There have been lots of calls, especially from fishermen,” Springs said. “They told us that we had the wrong fish, wrong plug, just everything about it was wrong.” The board is working to get the billboard replaced with a more accurate image, but did get some marketing insight. “We do know now that people look at billboards,” Springs said. “Even driving by at 65 mph, people were able to identify that the fish was the wrong kind.” (MS/Ravalli Republic) ...It would’ve been noticed less if it’d been right.