A new Boston business recruitment slogan, supported by corporate funding, a Berklee-composed jingle, and a Harpoon beer, received strong negative reaction from readers. Seventy-one percent said they did not like the tagline, while fifteen percent liked it and fifteen percent were undecided. Readers offered alternative taglines that ranged from straightforward critiques about affordability and traffic to gruff, rivalry-driven lines aimed at New York. Some responses emphasized irony in the original claim, while others focused on local infrastructure problems and everyday inconveniences. Several suggestions used humor and frustration to capture Boston’s identity, including references to rent, public amenities, and travel delays.
"Mayor Michelle Wu's "You Can't Beat Boston" city tagline rollout didn't exactly win over Boston.com readers. When we asked readers to weigh in on the city's splashy new business recruitment slogan - backed by millions in corporate funding, a Berklee-composed jingle, and a Harpoon beer - 71% of respondents said they don't like it. Only 15% said they did, and another 15% were on the fence."
"Others leaned into the city's gruff charm (and New York rivalry). Melissa from Melrose submitted an entire slate of contenders, including "Boston: You either love us or you're from New York," "Boston: We're not rude, you're just in the F'n way," and "Boston: Living rent free in New York's head since '04.""
"David P. from the South End poked at the irony baked into the original slogan itself: "Boston: You Can't Beat Boston ... But Boston Might Beat You." Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity. And Ken G. from Dorchester captured the city's infrastructure with painful accuracy: "Once You're Here, It's Hard To Leave ... Because Why Does This Street Suddenly End Without Notice?""
"A few went for honest branding: "You Can't Afford Boston," wrote Emmit from Mission Hill. Bill from Brighton cut straight to the chase: "'You Can't Beat Traffic.'" Here are alternative taglines, as suggested by Boston.com readers."
Read at Boston.com
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