Merrie Spaeth’s BIMBO awards are a constant source of amusement and education as she compiles the poorest communications choices people have made in the previous month. This month the top prize went to the state of New Jersey, which has felt the need for crisis management after the recent rise of negative Jersey stereotypes on television and in media brought concerns about decreased tourism. Straight from the BIMBO Awards site:
“New Jersey Doesn’t Stink” is the state’s campaign slogan to fight back against stereotypes like MTV’s popular “Jersey Shore.” (We applaud Gerry Wilson, CEO of High Point Insurance and the founder and sponsor of the idea, for trying to show people that New Jersey is – in the words of their website, “a beautiful melting pot state with mountain scenery, tourist attractions from the Atlantic City boardwalk to colonial Princeton.” However, they’ve put billboards up in the state. Surely, they should be putting them up in neighboring or other states? And the campaign has spawned parody, with one columnist suggesting the slogan, “New Jersey: We’re FBI Friendly.” Our bottom line assessment? Great way to get attention, but we wonder if the positive message will get through.)
Besides the state’s gaffe of posting the billboards only in an area where people probably already believe Jersey is OK, using negative words like “stink” in an attempt to improve the image of something is never a good idea. Despite their intent, negative words leave negative connotations in reader’s minds and can easily be used out of context to do more harm than good.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/