- "New Jersey: Ugly On The Outside, But Can We Ever Interior Decorate!"
- "New Jersey: Our Governor Is Gayer Than Your Governor"
Posted on 11/14/2005 5:50:52 PM PST by Cagey
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Make us a slogan we can't refuse, the state of New Jersey said. We got your slogan right here, the people replied.
A push to come up with a new slogan for the Garden State has become an excuse to crack New Jersey jokes. Among the not-so-serious entries:
"New Jersey: You Got a Problem With That?"
"NJ: How You Doin'?!"
"Most of Our Elected Officials Have Not Been Indicted."
The search yielded more than 4,000 possibilities in all, many of them attempts to sum up the land of Bruce Springsteen, "The Sopranos" and smelly interstates in one pithy phrase. The deadline for submissions was Monday.
The program began last month after acting Gov. Richard J. Codey rejected a consultant's recommendation -- "New Jersey: We'll Win You Over" -- as too negative. That slogan, developed as part of a $260,000 contract by global image consultants Lippincott Mercer, was shelved a day before it was to be unveiled.
Instead, the state opened the process to the public, establishing a Web site and telephone hot line to receive suggestions, which included the lyrical ("The Ocean, The Motion, The Magic") along with the satirical.
New Jersey, which once used "New Jersey and You: Perfect Together," has not had a new marketing slogan in four years. "Get Away, Without Going Far Away" has been used in the interim, but tourism officials say it does not resonate with out-of-staters.
"We have the opportunity to craft a new message for our tourist literature to reflect the pride we have in our many parks, open spaces, farmlands, quaint villages, boardwalks and beaches and our exciting cities," Codey implored would-be slogan writers on the Web site.
The governor and the state Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism Commission will "pare down the suggestions and go from there," said Karen Wolfe, a commission spokeswoman.
The state's musical legacy -- Frank Sinatra called New Jersey home, Springsteen still does -- led one person to suggest "From Ol' Blue Eyes to the Boss: Jersey Is Singing Your Song." Another entry: "Born to Fun."
Others found New Jersey's reputation for mobsters, toxic waste sites and lowbrow taste fair game. "Bada Bing! Choose New Jersey" was one suggestion.
The campaign was run by the state, but newspaper columnists, talk radio and "Saturday Night Live" got into the spirit, too. "New Jersey: It Always Smells Like This," one Philadelphia Inquirer reader suggested. "New Jersey: Come Glow With Us," another said.
After dealing with the "Minnesota Nice" (in the Twin Cities it tends to be a condescending nastiness, especially from the lefties), I am tempted to forget the 12 years of living in Texas and revert to native Joisey.
"Yeah I'm right. If you don't like it you got some kind of +++++++ attitude problem."
How 'bout...
"Hey, you $&#!@%*# want a piece of me?"
What?, You only vote under one name?
Get with the NJ program!
"New Jersey--F.U.B.A.R"
My motto is simple: When you don't like the law, break it. I'm not saying be content. I'm just saying it's not a bad place to live. I'm happy here, and all these morons knocking NJ can drag their knuckles back where they came from for all I care.
That sure sounds like you're content.
I guess it's to be expected on a political forum, though. For most normal people, politics is not a very big part of life. It certainly doesn't impact my happiness very much at all. It makes no difference to me which party is in the White House. Doesn't change my life. If all you see is politics, then maybe you can find stuff to be miserable about. But it's a waste of time. Much better to just live a good life. I'm living the good life right here in NJ. Why do you think ppl drive 4 hours from East Stroudsburg every day? Cuz PA might have looser gun laws, but they don't have any friggin jobs. I guess you could work a truck stop massage parlor in Scranton if you want. Me love you long time.
First in corruption, last in transparency, home to Tony.
Says you. I'm telling all these morons to go screw themselves. They deserve it. I spit in their faces.
New Jersey: It Glows in the Dark
HBO watching mouth breather. You do realize that's Hollywood fiction?
New Jersey -- We get something for our taxes...really!
"I spit in their faces."
Home is home, and only a fool doesn't love his own.
Corruption is King!
Dude, I have to pinch myself every day. I couldn't have it any better. Actually, I can have it better and expect to, right here in NJ. High paying jobs everywhere you look. I've got a beautiful ranch in the country. Tons of opportunity for all my sidework. More money than I know what to do with. It's a beautiful thing. I just don't take kindly to mouth breathing morons making fun of my state. Maybe that crap goes unanswered where they come from, but I stick up for NJ. It's called pride.
Do you realize NJ matches Tony's fiction?
This from an Oregonian? What a laugh! Go shave your armpits!
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