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Attention copywriters: New Jersey needs you Pitiful. That’s the only way to describe New Jersey’s statewide contest to come up with a new tourism slogan. Acting Governor Richard J. Codey yesterday announced the five finalists—out of 8000 entries—and this is all New Jerseyans could come up with: “New Jersey: Expect the Unexpected, “New Jersey: Love at First Sight,” “New Jersey: Come See for Yourself,” “New Jersey: The Real Deal” and “New Jersey: The Best Kept Secret.” Each of these lines lends itself to a comic aside, but it’s the holiday season so we’ll refrain. However, we’d like to suggest this one: “New Jersey: In Desperate Need of Copywriting Talent” and leave it at that. Surely, AdFreak readers can suggest something better. —Posted by Catharine P. Taylor

December 22, 2005 | Permalink

Comments

New Jersey: Almost New York

New Jersey: Parking Lot For Pennsylvania

New Jersey: At Least We're Not West Virginia

New Jersey: You Gotta Problem With That?

Posted by: The Late David Ogilvy | Dec 22, 2005 9:28:35 AM

My question is, who chose the finalists? My guess is that a bunch of NJ pols did. So what did you expect, something new and creative? Just look at the TV spots these stiffs run every election year.

Posted by: Bob | Dec 22, 2005 10:03:44 AM

New Jersey: For people who can't make it in New York

New Jersey: Keep driving

New Jersey: Better than an old jersey

Posted by: meliss | Dec 22, 2005 10:09:59 AM

New Jersey. You won't forgeddaboudit.

Posted by: HeyO | Dec 22, 2005 10:45:36 AM

I am ashamed to live in New Jersey if that's all we could come up with.

New Jersey: It's not that bad...Really.

New Jersey: Getting you somewhere else.

Posted by: Erica | Dec 22, 2005 10:53:55 AM

New Jersey: What smells like feet?

Posted by: Sarah | Dec 22, 2005 12:58:10 PM

New Jersey: Home of two New York football teams.

New Jersey: Come see our full-service gas stations.

New Jersey: Oooh, livin' on a prayer.

New Jersey: Less vanity-plates than Virginia.

New Jersey: It's still safe to sport a mullet.

Posted by: anonymous | Dec 22, 2005 2:13:32 PM

New Jersey: More "The Backyard State" than "The Garden State".

New Jersey: Bling bling.

Posted by: | Dec 22, 2005 2:19:21 PM

New Jersey: It ain't that bad.

Posted by: | Dec 22, 2005 6:37:25 PM

New Jersey: Have a big city? We got the suburbs!

Posted by: someone | Dec 22, 2005 6:42:18 PM

New Jersey: Bada-bing! You are now free to move about the country, because you definitely don't want to stay here.

Posted by: Bob | Dec 23, 2005 9:59:12 AM

New Jersey: Its the NEW Jersey

New Jersey: Because it's not Texas

New Jersey: Now D'ya See?

Posted by: Rob Mortimer | Dec 23, 2005 1:31:32 PM

New Jersey: Forgetaboutit!

Posted by: Olivier Blanchard | Dec 28, 2005 5:43:00 PM

New Jersey: Where The Roads Are Straight And The Governors Aren't.

Smells Like New Jersey.

Posted by: Marc | Jan 11, 2006 7:37:36 PM

New Jersey: Welcome to Our Nightmare

Posted by: Brett C | Jan 13, 2006 12:30:29 PM

New Jersey: Ever Wonder Where Your Toliet Flushes to?

Posted by: Hank | Jan 13, 2006 12:31:54 PM

New Jersey: Hold Your Breath

Posted by: Teri | Jan 13, 2006 12:39:19 PM

New Jersey: Home of Grandmas with Tatooes and Body Odor

Posted by: Evan | Jan 13, 2006 1:34:40 PM

New Jersey: We burn tax dollars like nobody's business

Posted by: Ralph | Jan 13, 2006 1:38:29 PM

New Jersey: Where man and toxic waste coexist in peace

Posted by: Lonnie McCullough | Jan 13, 2006 1:44:41 PM

New Jersey: Come see for yourself ... but plug your nose.

Posted by: Sarah | Jan 13, 2006 1:46:59 PM

Slight twists on current winning selection:

New Jersey: Come smell for yourself
or
New Jersey: You won't believe your nose

Posted by: Jim Martin | Jan 13, 2006 2:01:21 PM

Aw, c'mon. Let's be fair. NJ needs a sales slogan, not a chorus of NY jeers. If you really feel NJ is pitiful, then have pity. Help out. What about? "New Jersey. Great living. Great careers. Great places to visit." ... Not terribly clever, but in a straightforward way it says what the state should be trying to say and it would be easy to flesh out with lists and examples.

Posted by: John McGrath | Jan 23, 2006 3:45:51 AM

Here's another idea. "Come see Secaucus, NJ. It used to be a pig farm center but look at it now." That should answer the people who think NJ stinks. Get with it. NJ has transformed itself and sends its stinks to Manhattan or Staten.

Posted by: John McGrath | Jan 23, 2006 3:51:22 AM

Take a look at:

Fun Jersey Slogan T-shirts @
http://www.JerseySlogans.com

Posted by: Kirby | Feb 3, 2007 10:51:17 PM

New Jersey. Best kept secret in America.

New Jersey. Amazing, redefined.

Posted by: | Oct 13, 2008 10:08:35 AM

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