• The Wall Street Journal, Friday, May 8, 2009 9:30 AM

Forget the online social communities that are all the rage. Real physical communities are looking to marketing and media to help them deal with hard times. As the recession wallops cities and towns across the country, many are paying for image makeovers and media campaigns in the hope of attracting tourists and business investment.

This isn't the first time real-life communities have rebranded during hard times. Mira Engler, Iowa State University professor, says a 1980s recession inspired many Midwestern places to repackage themselves as frontier towns or enclaves with Dutch or Norwegian themes.

In one current example, Peoria, Ariz., recently paid a marketing agency to come up with a campaign that included this slogan: "Peoria. Naturally Connected." Thanks to online communities, local wags offered free alternatives on the Web, including "Peoria. Not the One in Illinois." And: "Peoria. Looks Better in the Rearview Mirror."

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