New Jersey needs marketing help ASAP!

What is New Jersey known for? I decided to see for myself by plugging in that exact question into a search engine. The result via wiki.answers.com was not that exciting: Jersey tomatoes, corn, the Turnpike, the Sopranos, the Jersey Shore. And yes, the answer was referring to the beautiful coastline of the Jersey shore, not the “The Jersey Shore” MTV show. New Jersey has gotten a bad reputation over the years, but it has taken an extra pummeling this year. Television shows such as “Real Housewives of New Jersey” haven't helped much to improve the state’s image.

Just last week, my local Wal-mart in Turnersville, N.J., made the national news. Some buffoons decided to announce racist remarks via the announcement system. New Jersey continues to get bad press, and quick action needs to take place to revive the state’s image.

Recently released data from The Tax Foundation shows “NJ has the second highest state sales tax rate.” New Jersey also always leads the pack in highest property taxes too. FUN! I believe that when a product, service or image is cycling downward it needs a marketing intervention. New Jersey needs to be rebranded or repositioned into a cool, dynamic, exciting state that its residents can be proud to live within.

Do you remember when Cadillac wasn’t so cool? Or how Buick has tried to reposition itself as a younger, hip carmaker with the use of spokesman Tiger Woods (big, big mistake that has Buick execs kicking themselves).

As a Rowan University adjunct marketing professor and a marketing consultant, I have decided to create a rebranding plan for the state. The key component of developing a positive brand image is to create a feeling with the customers via an experience, logo, name, service. New Jersey needs to first conduct some marketing research as to what its residents would like to showcase as their state brand symbol. (One big problem might be the ongoing debate regarding whether North and South Jersey should be two separate states.)

The elements of repositioning constitute a need to move New Jersey into a more positive light. The definition of repositioning according to Marketing by Lamb, Hair and McDaniel is “changing consumer’s perceptions of a brand in relation to competing brands.” New Jersey’s competing brands are at this point every other state since most have a better image. The current New Jersey motto is “Liberty and Prosperity.” With all the taxes we have had to deal with, I doubt that this motto is being realized by many residents. It is time to take inventory of what New Jersey has to offer, including incredible natural resources, history, industries, educational facilities and cultural (opportunities) and come up with a new focus.

Let’s create a country-wide buzz that causes New Jersey to be “THE” state that everyone in our country wants to live in. Compare it to a hot club that promotes itself and has everyone wanting to be invited. Below are some ideas that New Jersey needs to consider as part of its new marketing plan:


1) No taxes. I can personally guarantee that this will improve the state’s image overnight. Not only that, but we will have people fighting to buy our homes, come shop at our stores and create new businesses.

2) Make Lady Gaga our state spokesperson. She is constantly on the news and has shown in her recent video “Telephone” that she is the master at product placement. Ask her to use New Jersey in her next video, and the free public relations we will get promoting the state will be worth millions of dollars.

3) The state should produce "The Real Houses of the Jersey Shore.” It will showcase the gorgeous shore houses from Cape May to Loveladies and how real citizens enjoy the beaches. The episodes can run on YouTube and be promoted via social media channels.

4) Showcase education – New Jersey has amazing depth in its educational facilities including Princeton, Rowan, Rutgers and Ramapo College of New Jersey. Use successful graduates of these colleges in commercials and in public relations for the state.

New Jersey can be rescued. We can become more than the little sister to New York and Pennsylvania. A little tweaking of New Jersey's image could make us the state "Where Everyone Craves To Live" or the state where "Beauty, Culture, Liberty and Prosperity Collide." It's just a marketing and public relations plan away!