New Jersey Does Damage Control

A new publicity campaign is setting out to prove that “Dirty Jersey” isn’t so dirty after all.

The Jersey Doesn’t Stink campaign is setting out to change the way people think about the Garden State by debunking its many negative media portrayals.

Jersey gets a bad rap from cosmetically-enhanced, Oompa Loompa colored characters who bring on the drama on Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey and the Style Network’s Jerseylicious.

And MTV’s Jersey Shore gym-tanning-laundry shtick is even worse, replete with bad beachside behavior and overly-gelled individuals who can see their reflections in their own hair.

To fight all this bad TV publicity, the Jersey Doesn’t Stink project is spreading the word about how great New Jersey actually is. And it’s got a number of options for locals to get involved.

There’s an online pledge you can sign that’s already gotten over 5,000 signatures, as well as popular Facebook and Twitter pages.

And if you really want to show your love for the Jerz, you can check out the hats, mugs, t-shirts and other themed merchandise sold on the website.

Backing up the campaign are various Jersey businesses and organizations, such as the Jersey Shore Partnership, Inc.

Partnership Chairman Jack Rosenfeld talked about the state’s many great qualities.

“It’s very diverse -- we have mountains in the north and west and we have the beaches in the south and central coast. And it’s a highly educated population, a very successful population," Rosenfeld said. "There’s a lot of opportunity for educated people to find great work and great careers."

A self-proclaimed "clam-digger" who grew up going to the Jersey Shore, Rosenfeld said, “I’ve traveled extensively throughout my career and I still think it’s one of the nicest places you could live.”

Basking Ridge, N.J. resident Mary Plaza agreed that that state is a great place, despite the media portrayals of high pollution levels and trashy residents.

“It’s a beautiful state that people rarely get to see the best parts of. If you fly into the swamps of Newark Airport, your first impression is not a true reflection of the beauty that the area really holds,” Plaza said.

Plaza also talked about the benefits of living in one of Jersey’s many affluent towns. She mentioned the good school districts, parks, recreation, shopping and libraries that attract families.

“I think people think it’s a state of highways. The main question is, ‘What exit do you live off the highway?’ That’s everybody’s first, immediate reaction, a dirty state with swamps. They don’t recognize that our coastline is by far one of the best in the country,” Plaza said.

Residents and business sponsors of Jersey Doesn’t Stink hope that the publicity from the project gets people to see the “real” New Jersey.

“New Jersey has certainly gotten a lot of bad press in the past several years. I think it’s very important to represent the state for what it is, which is a really nice place to live and work,” Rosenfeld said.

And hey -- having a few guidos running around isn’t such a bad thing, Plaza said.

“There are guidos [in New Jersey], absolutely. It is diverse. You’ve got your guidos…but you’ve got a little bit of everybody. That’s kind of what I like about it,” Plaza commented.

Maybe New Jersey can just keep Snooki around as a mascot.

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