New Jersey: Land without sarcasm – Yahoo! News:
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – New Jersey, trying to overcome its reputation for corruption, traffic and toxic waste dumps, has rejected dozens of sardonic and sarcastic entries in a contest for a new tourist slogan.
A list of five possible slogans released on Wednesday leaves out “New Jersey: We can always use another relative on the payroll,” and “Come to New Jersey: It’s not as bad as it smells.”
Voters get to pick the winner in the competition launched after Gov. Richard Codey nixed “New Jersey: We’ll Win You Over,” created by a consultant who was paid $260,000.
“It makes me think of when I was young and single and asked a girl out,” Codey said in a statement. “She turned me down. I said, ‘Give me a chance, I’ll win you over.'”
Nearly 7,800 entries were submitted to promote a state not widely known for its pristine countryside and sun-soaked beaches.
The five finalists are: “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.”
Voters in the Garden State have until January 1 to make their selection.
The Best Kept Secret is true– and we’d really like to keep it that way, okay?