Now when out-of-town or out-of-state family and friends ask about your hometown, you can "show" them all the sites and attractions by directing them to a new promotional video on the town's website, www.ci.guilford.ct.us.

Produced by CGI Communications, Inc., of Rochester, New York, the video was free of charge to the town. With music in the background, it showcases six categories, including a welcome page, education, quality of life, real estate and relocation, business and industry, and attractions.

Economic Development Specialist Jacklyn Simonetti said videos such as the one on the town's website are far from new and are an excellent resource for out-of-town visitors or those considering moving to the area.

"The video helps keep us in competition with other towns and is another opportunity to give businesses a chance to be seen," she said.

CGI Communications charges a fee to those local businesses that choose to advertise.

One of those companies, fourth-generation Guilford business

J.J. Sullivan, produced a video advertisement under the

business and industry category. Other types of advertising include a link to one's website.

"We thought it was a good idea," said Paul Sullivan, one of the owners. "It is a good way for someone coming in to town to know about us."

Sullivan said that with the popularity of the Internet, it makes sense for his company to advertise where potential customers could see them from afar.

Not everyone is happy about the idea, as was evident by a recent letter to the editor in the Courier written by Nikki Rasmussen. This particular business owner of YOLO Aesthetic Boutique was "opposed to the government's obtaining a free video production of the town of Guilford on the backs of local merchants who are solicited to purchase advertising to do so." She felt it was not the role of the town government to be involved in advertising directly or indirectly.

"I believe this should have been done, if at all, by the town's Chamber of Commerce, not government," said Rasmussen in an interview. "My understanding is [the Chamber] declined on the idea."

Rasmussen also thought the video could lead to the impression that the town was endorsing those businesses that advertised on it, excluding others.

"The town is receiving something for free that advertisers are paying for," she said. "I think they took the easy way out."

In addition, Rasmussen didn't care for the fact that the company producing the video is from out of state. In the town's defense, Simonetti said she researched the idea and could not find any local company that could provide the town with the same product, same business model, and same price, free.

Sullivan said that as a taxpayer, he would not support the idea of the town's paying for such a video. But as a local business owner, he could certainly pick and choose the venue through which his company would spend its advertising dollars.

Simonetti said the town had total control over the content and could add or change the video as time goes on.

CGI, in business since 1988, works with cities across the U.S. to help them promote their locale through website videos the company scripts, films, and produces.

In an earlier conversation with Frank Buono, one of the founders of the company, he said the idea of the videos are to help a city promote itself to people thinking of relocating, visitors, current residents, and businesses. Most town websites, says Buono, are missing the excitement of the town or its appeal as a destination.

"The majority of town websites tell you where to bring your trash or when leaf pickup occurs," said Buono. "You have all these people visiting your website without adding substance. Our videos add excitement and bring the people right in."

Simonetti said that traffic to the town's website has increased recently. The Economic Development website, which is linked on the town's website, receives between 1,500 and 2,000 hits a month.