New Jersey Looks For New State Slogan

WKMG TV NEWS & AP ^ | 11-14-2005

[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.

[Petronski]

New Jersey: Right Next Door to Two Great States!

And New York!

[JABBERBONK]

"KISS HER WHERE IT STINKS"..NEW JERSEY!

[Windcatcher]

A friend of ours in South Jersey wants to cut down some of the trees in his back yard, but because of some local enviro wackos in his town he can't do it with anything less than an Act of God. On this side of the river all you need is a saw and some rope. Pretty much sums it up for me.

[Pyncho]

Free Huck, free Huck. Now, all together, with Cindy Sheehan, Free Huck, free Huck. Moderater, let thy blogger blog. NJerians cannot communicate without using the F word three or four times a sentence. So I think rules should be suspended in Huck's case. Free Huck, free Huck!

[willyboyishere]

I live there, so for ne it's:
New Jersey
Screwed for another four years

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

That was actor/director Robert Wuhl. He went on to say that nobody in New Jersey commits suicide alone. I think he's from NJ.

[Revolting cat!]

New Jersey: Huck Sez F*** U!

[Lancey Howard]

New Jersey, Just across the river from a real city.

Go, Philly.

[Windcatcher]

NJ - Distract the guards while we swim for it.

[new cruelty]

New Jersey: Maybe next year.

Rank	Location	Receipts	Donors/Avg		Freepers/Avg		Monthlies
1	Texas	$7,650.00	154	$49.68		$	$1,056.00	68
2	California	6,327.62	219	28.89			1,520.56	112
3	Florida	4,155.60	105	39.58			693.00	46
4	Virginia	2,510.90	64	39.23			495.50	27
5	Pennsylvania	1,882.50	69	27.28			365.00	26
6	New York	1,783.00	65	27.43			513.00	27
7	Ohio	1,782.25	44	40.51			602.25	19
8	Michigan	1,345.00	32	42.03			165.00	12
9	North Carolina	1,290.00	51	25.29			369.00	28
10	Washington	1,267.00	47	26.96			305.00	18
11	New Jersey	1,198.00	37	32.38			203.00	12

[Petronski]

That's a good one too. LOL

[Blood of Tyrants]

How about, "Not as crooked as Louisiana!"

[Gay State Conservative]

"New Jersey,Someone's Gotta Live Here"

Courtesy of Archie Bunker

[Pyncho]

Nice numbers. Where'd you get them. Let's thank Tony for the "Two Large" from NJ. We all know Tony votes Republican, but poses Democratic because, well, he knows where his bread is buttered.

[Grizzled Bear]

"New Jersey; like Jersey only newer!"

Or

"What the hell is that smell??!!"

[Tall_Texan]

"New Jersey: What Happens Here, Stays Buried Here."

"New Jersey: Like New York Without The Tall Buildings."

[Revolting cat!]

New Jersey: Is you is, or is you ain't?

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I think that when Governor Kean left office, the slogan went with him...and his accent.

[new cruelty]

Nice numbers. Where'd you get them. Let's thank Tony for the "Two Large" from NJ.

You think an hbo mob boss donated money to FR! Shows what kind of state you're in. For someone that has only been here since September, it is probably not a good idea to dismiss a group of people like that.

[Pyncho]

A group meaning a state? And so seniority is a written or unwritten rule? I don't get the comment. I don't see anyone dismissing anyone across this topic; I see it as jest entirely. This is why I'm genuinely distressed that Huck got all a fluster. If the topic was, way, to give a new slogan to TX and things got a bit dicey, I can't imagine getting hot and bothered. Maybe this reflects the basic security of Txians w their location, their venue. I don't know. But it seems that things NJean bring out the worst in people rather than the best, and this is reflective of something grander than being dismissive.