What’s in a name? Apparently, for the United States, it’s so important that our advertising slogan to entice foreigners to visit us is now:
The United States of Awesome Possibilities
I kid you not:
This is made possible by Brand USA, which describes itself as a public/private partnership meant to promote travel to the United States.
Congress created Brand USA, formerly the Corporation for Travel Promotion, in 2010 to work with the travel industry on what The New York Times reported is the first worldwide marketing campaign to promote the United States.
So I wondered again… what is in a name?
Wikipedia has the answer and so here are some mottos from other nations:
Albania: You Albania give me honor, you give me the name Albanian. (That’s NOT so catchy)
Algeria: By the people and for the people. (Uhh… maybe not)
Bulgaria: Union Makes Strength. (Another “catchy” Eastern European slogan!)
Cuba: Homeland or death. (That’ll bring the tourists… wait people are trying toleave Cuba)
Denmark: God’s help, the love of the people, Denmark’s strength. (Don’t think the ACLU would approve)
England: God and my right. (Firstly, it’s in French but could be an Islamic god so okay?)
Germany: Unity and justice and freedom. (Not as catchy as Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer but it works)
Ireland: Sworn to be free. (Ironic, isn’t it?)
Jamaica: Out of many, One People. (Can we sue for plagarism?)
Sierra Leonne: Unity, freedom, justice. (More irony – see Ireland)
The official motto of the United States is still In God We Trust although there was a legal challenge in 1970 about it (and a few times since) but appeals courts found that it was just jingoistic banter and nothing more though Teddy Roosevelt thought putting the word “god” on our money was “sacrilegious” but what did he know, right..?
So are we living in The United States of Awesome Possibilities?
Sure we are!
We have so many awesome possibilities that I can’t even keep track of them all.
I bet that’s why 17% of Americans thought our nation was moving in the right direction and why 18% of us believed that things are better today than they were 5 years ago.
Maybe our advertising slogan changed because an estimated 300,000 illegal aliens have left California since 2008 or why Mexico’s unemployment rate shot from 4.9% to 9.2%?
Or maybe, despite the U.S. dollar’s continuing loss in value (making it cheaper for vacationers to visit our nation) tourism is down?
And the loss of tourism shouldn’t be written off as unimportant because when 35 tourists visit America they help to create 1 job here.
The United States of Awesome Possibilities is being backed with about $200 million in advertising but, really, it’s such a lame slogan I thought I could do better at a much smaller cost so here are my 10 ideas:
10. We Might Be #Occupied But We’re Not Busy.
09. Visit America: A Great Place to Practice Your Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin.
08. Our Melting Pot is Beginning to Boil.
07. Italy has spaghetti, Greece has spanakopita but New York has zuccotti lung.
06. Come and be part of the 99%!!!
05. America: We Hope We Can Keep Your Change (We’re Broke).
04. And You Thought Civil Unrest and Rioting Just Happened in Greece!
03. Socialist brothers and sisters come see our Revolution!
02. Our murder rate is down.
01. We’ve Got No Cash, Jobs, or Hope But We Do Have More Nukes Than You.