West Virginia is Tired of the Lame Jokes, Intent On Being Classy

It's a fact of life: some places get unfairly picked on. For years, places like Poland, New Jersey, and West Virginia have been the butt of cruel jokes based on negative stereotypes. Poland and New Jersey generally shrug off the criticism and get on with their lives, but West Virginia is mad as hell, and isn't going to take it anymore. Fed up with derisive attitudes from northerners and even some southern neighbors, the state is launching a new marketing campaign to shift its image from one of toothless hillbillies to one of savvy, 21st century business people.

As Newsweek points out, West Virginia has changed its slogan from "wild and wonderful" to "open for business" in an effort to narrow the class gap it has with neighboring states. Kentucky, for example, might have just as many uneducated and impoverished citizens, but its reputation is buoyed by positive associations with Louisville, bluegrass, and basketball. West Virginia has fewer cultural landmarks to capitalize on, so it is instead selling itself as an outdoorsy state that has a sophisticated side as well.

With 50 state parks and plenty of mountains and lakes to play in, the outdoorsy part is easy enough to believe. But will people ever see Charleston (pop. 53,421) as a capital of culture and cuisine? Maybe. But I'd hope that rather than trying to replicate the martini lounges and velvet rope clubs of New York and Los Angeles, local entrepreneurs try to define the West Virginia identity for themselves. With an eclectic blend of urban and rural, north and south, they could probably come up with something unique and fun. What have your West Virginia experiences been like? Are the stereotypes based in any truth? Please leave any makeover tips in the comments.

[Photo: carcino.gen.nz]

Related Stories:
· Hillbilly No More [Newsweek]
· West Virginia: Open For Business [Official Site]
· Hurtful Stereotype Coverage [Jaunted]

Comment (1)

Return to » West Virginia is Tired of the Lame Jokes, Intent On Being Classy

well I don't want a gang of hillbillies coming after me or anything....ok haha that was a bit harsh i apologize lol! But I live in Virginia in a town about I'd say....40 mins away from the West Virginia border & I've had to deal with alot of West Virginians and I hate to say it guys but it's been my opinion alot of the stereotypes are right. When they come across the mountain they are rude, loud individuals. They mock anything that's not "huntin', fishin' or campin'" etc but heaven forbid you mock anything of theirs! You go into West Virginia the first thing u see is wall collages of the "biggest buck award" & I think they've even made fun of themselves as far as the "toothless award". In fact to sum this up what I'M sick of is people combining WEST Virginia and the state of Virginia as one whole big redneck backwards place. VIRGINIA is NOTHING like West VA!! By the way, this is my opinion, i'm sure that there are some West Virginians over there who DON'T fit the stereotypes but unfortunately i've never met any! :)

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