New Jersey... A State of Mine

In 2005, New Jersey taxpayers shelled out a $260,000 contract to a marketing firm for duties which included coming up with an iconic State slogan. Their dubious brainchild turned out to be New Jersey…We Will Win You Over which miserably coincides with local and national headlines exposing the corruptness of State government’s pay-to-play politics. Excuse me but marketing geniuses and global image consultants couldn’t do better than We Will Win You Over? What was their runner-up choice, New Jersey…The Greasy Palm State? To eloquently borrow a Donald Trump business motto for closure “You’re fired!” Thank goodness the Freudian Slip of a slogan wasn’t embraced by Acting Governor Codey. So the hunt continues for a slogan for New Jersey.

Why is it so hard to come up with a State slogan for New Jersey? Let me count the ways. The State has an inherent image problem. The general public largely associates New Jersey with corruptness and negativity. Not too mention that we are still picking up the coattails of a governor who resigned and ran from public office because, in short, he was finally honest with himself and comfortable in his own shoes? New Jersey is nicknamed ‘The Garden State’ but we are the most densely populated state in the nation overrun by crowded interstates. The high cost of living is stained by car insurance premiums that never got its reform and skyrocketing property taxes that may never get relief. Heck, we even lost the Miss America pageant to Las Vegas, The Sin City. All of the above isn’t a blemish on a pretty face but rather a major facelift on a needy land.

There is no question that New Jersey needs to reinvent itself and the sooner the better. People need a message to rally around. So we must sidestep major barriers to even unearth a positive image. Freudian Slips tries to look for the silver lining in a black hole but I had my work cut out for me here. Now there is no Grand Canyon or Mount Rushmore in New Jersey but we do own a beautiful coastal shoreline. After I thunk and I thunk, here are my suggestions for a better tomorrow:

New Jersey...Work, Play, Stay

New Jersey…More Than A Shore Thing

New Jersey…Where People Make a Difference

New Jersey...Dreams Got To Start Somewhere

New Jersey…Scores of Shores and So Much More

New Jersey…Your Experience in a State of Mine

A commitee of one, I plan on submitting my slogans to Governor-Elect Jon Corzine after he takes office. Maybe one of my slogans will win Corzine over.