Secrets of the Season

Family Fun Nightlife Frivolity Subscribe to BC news RSS Feeds Add BC news to YOUR site

New Oval Sticker Aimed at Promoting Tourism on Oregon Coast

(Newport, Oregon) – First, every country in Europe had them. Then, Cannon Beach - on the northern Oregon coast - in its own tongue-in-cheek way, started its own version, with the simple, white oval bumper sticker, but with “CB” instead of the initials of a European nation.

Now, the central Oregon coast town of Newport has got in on the act, with its own sign of civic pride and tourism marketing. Little white ovals with “ONP” are showing up on cars all over Newport these days, with some scratching their heads as to the meaning of it all. Others, in their coastal trivia wisdom, put two and two together fairly quickly, having seen the Cannon Beach versions for years and noticing they’re in Newport, they come to the conclusion ONP stands for “Oregon Newport.”

Jim Protiva, Director of Parks and Recreation in Newport, said that’s actually "Oregon Newport Parks," but he’s not discouraging anyone from telling others that it stands for “Oregon Newport.”

“It’s the federal designation for the airport here,” Protiva said. “Like LAX is Los Angeles, and PDX is Portland. Every place with an airport in the U.S. has one of those.”

Newport city manager Allen O'Neal came up with the idea, basing it on a part of the North Carolina coast called the “Outer Banks” which uses a similar oval sticker that says OBX. “He thought it would be fun to try it here,” Protiva said. “It’s a pride of place thing as well as a way to promote tourism and market Newport. I’ve been out there in North Carolina a lot too, and I’ve seen it working in that area.”

The city has footed the bill for the creation of the stickers, which is different than the stickers in Cannon Beach, which are privately funded and sold to the public in shops and not the Cannon Beach Visitors Center. In Newport, they’re sold for $2 each at the Newport Parks & Recreation Center, at the Newport Chamber of Commerce and at a shop called Raindance in Nye Beach (541-265-9629, 316 NW Coast St.).

Jump-Off Joe, a Nye Beach landmark

They were introduced in the fall, Protiva said, with an initial printing of 1000. The city ordered its second roll of 1000 a while ago, and is a ways into that one. Protiva believes the total units sold to be well over 1000 now.

“They’re beginning to show up in a lot of cars around town,” Protiva said. “I’d guess one in every ten cars has them here now.”

While no one is making a bundle off these, the money from the sales of these is going to back into look of the city. “It’s been earmarked for beautification projects, like landscaping,” Protiva said. So far, only enough money has been raised to improve some of the “Welcome to Newport” signs on the edges of town.

Lorna Davis, Director of Tourism Development, said they are serving other promotional purposes as well, and they go well beyond civic pride for residents.

“We have been selling the stickers at the Chamber center as well as taking them along to travel and trade shows, where they have proven to be a hot item,” Davis said. “Everyone wants to say they’ve visited Newport for either recreation, conference or other reasons, and this is a great way of doing so.”

RELATED STORIES

Prepare for Freaky, Creepy Mole Crabs on Oregon Coast Beaches The little critters make the tideline bubble and feel really weird as they run across your feet

Watching Transformations of Oregon Coast Beaches Seasons change and so do beaches, revealing different sides and a variety of eye-popping sights

Structures Found on Oregon Beach May Be 80,000 Years Old - They are the remnants of a forest apparently 80,000 years old, found at Hug Point

Day or Night Mysteries and Merriment on Oregon Coast It's more than just nightlife that comes to life, but the beaches offer major opportunities

Gearing Up for Summer Camping on Oregon's Coast There are dozens of campsites, providing exceptional opportunities for beachcombing and recreation

CONTACT BEACH CONNECTION