The ‘Jersey Doesn’t Stink’ campaign understandably aims to improve the image of our state, which many residents feel is a well-kept secret offering abundant activities and opportunities. But the negative and defensive slogan undercuts the campaign’s intention and will wind up making the state the punch line of even more bad jokes.

As a 30-year-old public relations firm founded and active in the beautiful Garden State, we believe the campaign is counterproductive. By associating stink with the state, the campaign slogan unwittingly perpetuates an unpleasant—and erroneous—stereotype. It’s a sad fact that some misinformed people have a negative opinion of New Jersey, but this campaign does little to educate them. It fails to capture everything that makes New Jersey a wonderful place to live and visit: its beaches, parks, farms, gardens and the rich cultural diversity of the residents. Jersey is the most densely populated state yet we still have lush open space as many first-time tourists delightfully discover.

Another negative campaign—“Just Say No to Drugs”—from the 1980s had no lasting impact on our country’s efforts to combat our country’s epidemic of drug abuse. Today not only are drugs and drug use more prevalent, but violence in Mexico and the United States has escalated alarmingly.
What really does stink about New Jersey is the number of politicians who are indicted or in jail. This, we believe, is a sign of the times considering the national average of crooked politicos. And it is definitely something the Governor went far in correcting when he was the federal U.S. Attorney for the New Jersey District.

But the positives about New Jersey far outweigh the negative aspects. We need a positive slogan so we urge our fellow New Jersey residents to share your creative ideas for telling everyone why our state is so great.

Christopher Rosica is CEO of Paramus-NJ based Rosica Strategic Public Relations. John Rosica founded the firm in 1980.

Rosica Strategic Public Relations, a 30-year-old firm providing online and traditional public relations and marketing services, has launched Online Image Protectors™, a program to help clients preserve their reputations and influence how customers, employees and others perceive them.

“The Internet is today’s Wild West where anyone can say whatever they want about you without consequences,” said CEO Chris Rosica. “Our clients can overcome the challenges of the online frontier and ensure they are accurately and fairly portrayed in new media.”

By combining search engine optimization (SEO), Internet PR and social media, Rosica prominently places and promotes online articles and blog posts as well as educational information and editorial content to dominate natural search, which are the results of Internet research on topics, companies, brands or individuals.

Rosica’s successful track record includes extensive experience in developing customized solutions to meet clients’ unique needs. The firm has offered Internet marketing and PR services for more than a decade and has expertise in crisis management and corporate communications to manage perception from within the company and externally.

To learn more about Rosica’s services, contact Jaimee Given, Chief Relationship Officer at: 201-843-5600 or Jaimee@Rosica.com

About Rosica Strategic Public Relations
Established in 1980, Rosica Strategic Public Relations is a national consumer and business-to-business public relations and marketing firm specializing in Internet marketing, social media, cause marketing, media relations, media training and crisis communications. Rosica develops creative, goal-oriented programs and, with its proprietary SalesSmart PRsm and Online Image Protectors™ methodologies, helps its clients drive sales and tangibly measure results. The agency’s services also include special events, new product introductions, message development, spokesperson tours, online reputation management and public affairs.

PARAMUS — Rosica Strategic Public Relations and boutique firm B&Y Communications announced today their merger into one marketing and public relations firm. Terms of the merger were not disclosed. The company, now with a staff of 18, operates out of its Paramus headquarters. Rosica is led by Christopher Rosica, its chief executive.

The three-person staff at B&Y, in Montclair, all joined the Rosica team, according to Susan Youdovin, B&Y president. The B&Y team included vice president Kathryn Kempf, now senior vice president of Rosica Healthcare; and B&Y’s media relations director Marybeth Nibley, who becomes senior writer with the firm.

“Our background is in health care, pharmaceuticals, B-to-B and medical technology,” Youdovin said. She is now executive vice president of the newly formed Rosica Healthcare Division.

By João-Pierre Ruth

http://www.njbiz.com/article.asp?aID=27987213.5086023.1008722.7023846.3382619.216&aID2=77585

Public Relations Contact: Rosica Strategic Public Relations

Rosica Strategic Public Relations, a national public relations, public affairs and cause marketing firm, has merged with B&Y Communications, a boutique firm with a 15-year history of serving healthcare, nonprofit and association clients. B&Y executives Susan Youdovin, Kathryn Kempf and Marybeth Nibley will now head Rosica’s Healthcare Division.
“The combination of our two firms creates an agency with enhanced capabilities in consumer, healthcare, business, B2B and nonprofit communications,” said Christopher Rosica, CEO of Rosica PR. “The extensive experience of the senior-level B&Y team significantly expands our corporate communications, issues management, crisis communications and writing services and complements Rosica’s traditional and online media relations expertise.”
B&Y President and healthcare communications veteran, Susan Youdovin, is now Executive Vice President, Rosica Healthcare Division. Vice President Kathryn Kempf, a corporate communications and nonprofit specialist, is Senior Vice President of Rosica Healthcare. Marybeth Nibley, B&Y’s media relations director, brings her 20 years of journalism experience with AP and Reuters to the position of Senior Writer.
“We are pleased to bring our experience and skills to Rosica and are proud of the wonderful reputation we earned over our 15 years in business,” commented Youdovin. “We share with Rosica a long tradition of superior client satisfaction as well as a commitment to community service.”
Established in 1980, Rosica Strategic Public Relations is a national consumer and business-to-business public relations and marketing firm specializing in Internet marketing, social media, cause related marketing, media relations, media and public speaking training and crisis communications. Rosica develops creative, goal-oriented programs and, with its proprietary SalesSmart PRsm methodology, helps its clients drive sales and tangibly measure results. The agency’s services also include special events, new product introductions, message development, spokesperson tours and public affairs.

John Rosica, founder and senior strategist of the 27-year-old public relations / marketing firm Rosica Strategic Public Relations, was recently inducted into the PR News Hall of Fame at a Washington, DC ceremony.

PR News, a leading industry weekly international publication has annual awards for practicing public relations counselors. The National Press Club in the nation’s Capitol was the site for the ceremonies.

“We’re proud and pleased that John received this honor and has been recognized for his cause-marketing strategies over the years,” says Rosica PR CEO Chris Rosica. “He also donates thousands of personal hours to various charitable causes.”

“The public relations industry has evolved over the past three decades,” Chris continues. “As the power of TV grew and newspaper columnists’ power diminished, strategic planning came into vogue. An effective creative strategy is the basis for every successful public relations campaign. Developing these strategies is John’s forte.”

John Rosica learned and honed his skills in the entertainment business during the sixties and seventies. “We developed stars, literally,” John says. So, artists like Jefferson Starship, Hall and Oates, The Monkees and The Partridge Family were really rehearsals for my biggest star – Wally “Famous” Amos, creator of Famous Amos Cookies.

An acknowledged pioneer in social or cause marketing, John partnered Famous Amos with Literacy Volunteers of America, which fosters adult literacy, almost 25 years ago, helping brand both organizations without the benefit of advertising. Only public relations strategies and tactics were used.

On winning the award, Rosica says, “While I was pleased to receive this recognition, I believe it’s important to keep your hand on the pulse of society in order to continue to develop cohesive and successful plans for your clients.”