Slogan

Anyone remember the Trash Bash jingle? How about "Baltimore Sparkle?" Or Trash ball? Those rubber garbage cans embellished with "Believe"? A stroll down memory lane, in Baltimore's case, is littered with failed cleanup initiatives. As it is everywhere. Ever since that lone tear rolled down the Indian's cheek in the famous 1970s commercial, national and local campaigns have used guilt, humor, bullying, goofy slogans, goofier mascots and celebrity endorsements in an attempt to get it through America's slovenly skull that littering is bad, garbage cans are good.

The Towson Chamber of Commerce is conducting a contest to find a slogan of eight or fewer words to promote the community. The winning entry in this haiku of civic advertising receives a $250 cash prize. As often happens with writers, that last bit really caught our eye. Alas, accepting a stipend, even from our friends at the chamber, might be perceived as a conflict of interest. But you, dear reader, are welcome to be inspired by our suggestions. Keep in mind, of course, that we avoided the predictable cliché (Best place in Central Baltimore County)

WHEN Maryland's new commemorative quarter starts turning up in Americans' change in March, some will be baffled as they try to decipher the slogan accompanying the outline of the State House dome in Annapolis."

Nine months and half a million dollars later, Baltimore has a new slogan. Drumroll, please: "Baltimore - Get In On It." The preposition-rich slogan is set to be announced next week as the centerpiece of Charm City's new effort to sell itself to tourists and visitors, according to sources familiar with the lengthy and secretive process. "Get in on what?" asked Baltimore City Councilwoman Rochelle "Rikki" Spector, after repeating it aloud three times. "I've seen some dumb ones in the past, but this is the dumbest," said former Mayor/former Gov./Comptroller William Donald Schaefer through his spokesman.

When the visitors bureau for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County set out to create a new marketing slogan - one it hopes will bring more tourist traffic to the area - it was not the fine dining, historic sites or charming cobblestone streets it turned to for inspiration. It was the water. "We talked about what represented us best, and what came across were the maritime activities," said Connie Del Signore, president and chief executive officer of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau.

Can a few clever words revive a business? McDonald's hopes so. The Illinois-based fast-food giant is in the midst of launching a new slogan - "I'm lovin' it" - that previewed last month in Germany and begin airing in the United States last week during telecasts of the Emmy Awards and Miss America Pageant. The campaign, more edgy than past McDonald's fare, is being closely watched in advertising circles. Just as the company creates ripples in the food industry with its enormous purchases of everything from beef to potatoes, its new slogan is also being watched as a huge gambit to remake the chain's faltering image.

For nearly three decades, Jack Luskin was "The Cheapest Guy in Town," which in turn became a household slogan for his Baltimore-based appliance and electronics chain. Luskin, now 80 and retired, splits his time between homes in Stevenson and Aventura, Fla. "I have the best of both worlds," he said. "I consider myself unemployed, but I check The Sun's classifieds every day to see what I can do, but no one seems to want me." Jack and his brother, Joe, established Luskin's Inc. in 1948, and turned the post-World War II demand for refrigerators and washing machines into a successful business.

Under Armour is suing Nike, alleging that its chief competitor is illegally using a version of the Baltimore sports apparel company's new primary slogan, "I Will. " The suit, which the company said it filed Thursday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, seeks to force Nike to stop using any form of that phrase and asks for unspecified punitive damages for trademark infringement and unfair competition. According to a copy of the suit provided by Under Armour, the complaint shows several instances of ads Nike placed on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter beginning late last year using slogans that all begin with "I will.

Are you kidding me? The city's tourism agency, Visit Baltimore, is running a $500,000 campaign to lure visitors (and their wallets) to Baltimore. And the best slogan they could create is "Find Your Happy Place"? Really, are you kidding me? I wish Visit Baltimore would have approached me with an offer of endless cups of coffee and a comfortable workspace for one hour. I guarantee I could have come up with a more lucrative and creative slogan in that time frame. In the meantime, let's all put on our smiley faces and tweak our dimples with our index fingers while we all shout in unison, "Find Your Happy Place"!

Slogans from History: Queen City of the Patapsco Drainage Basin! (J. Goodspeed) ... Mobtown! (anon., 19th cent.) Baltimore - Home of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame and National Museum of Dentistry! Baltimore: Black and White and Crabby All Over! Middle Maryland (Mid-Md.)! ... Lord of cities! ... Birdland! ... Seattle East! ... The Sunbelt! Better a city without a slogan than a slogan without a city.