Parlor Spider...Step In, Little Fly

Insightful thoughts and/or rants from atop the soapbox from one who wishes to share the "right" opinion with everyone.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Slogan or Motto? College or University? Fountain or Bubbler?

Semantics make for interesting hair-splitting on many occasions. Sometimes a distinction between synonyms can clarify, but often it simply raises hackles. However, I believe our ability to laugh at ourselves and our foibles a) keeps us sane and b) separates us from chimps (who, by the way, have recently been proven to have the ability to PLAN for future events like throwing rocks at zoo visitors!)
Thus it is that I return to the topic of the motto (or slogan, if you prefer) chosen by the state tourism board here in Wisconsin: "Live Like You Mean It." Apparently, I am not alone, as a basic search conducted by my friend "He Whose Name Must Not Be Mentioned" evidenced. People from all over are weighing in in on the subject, and most deride it mercilessly and offer their own suggestions. That's for later. Just to show that we are not the only state attempting to pump up its tourism with a catchy slogan (or motto, if you prefer), here are some examples from other locales:
Maryland--"Seize the Day Off" or "You Can Only Come On the Weekends."
Colorado--"Enter a Higher State." or "Rocky Mountain High In More Ways Than One."
Washington--"Say Wa!" or "We're Sick of Californians Moving Here."
Oregon--"Things Look Different Here" or "Where the Colorado Grass Ends."
Illinois--"Mile After Magnificent Mile" or "All Roads Lead to Indiana."
Minnesota--"Explore Minnesota" or "Stop Fishing in Wisconsin."
Kansas--"As Big As You Think" or "Are We Ever Getting To Colorado?"

So you see that it's considered the thing to do to have a catchy phrase designed to tease tourists. Now for some of the more, uh, printable ones posed by folk on the web for Wisconsin's new catchphrase (or slogan or motto, if you prefer):

"Drink Like You Mean It."
"Not So Boring If You're Drunk" (sense a theme here?)
"Wisconsin. Hey, der!"
"Halfway Between Minnesota and Illinois." (my personal favorite)

To these, I feel it uncumbent on me to add my own since, after all, it IS my blog. Here goes:
"Brats and Beer...Come Here"
"Wisconsin: Purveyors of Foam Headwear."
"Get Paid to Shovel Lambeau!"
"Wisconsin: Fishing for Tourists."
"Great Lakes, Great State."
"Wisconsin: Playground of the FIBs."
"This Brew's For You!"

So, you can see that I have far less creativity than others, but at least it did not cost $50,000 to get any of my ideas: discuss.

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