Hello, and welcome to Baltimore! We invite you to stop by for a visit and “Find your happy place.”
Yep, that’s the $500,000 ad campaign the powers that be in my fair city are hoping will put a positive twist on Baltimore, sometimes lovingly referred to as Charm City.
Poor Baltimore. It really does need a public relations lift, but many Baltimorons (yep, that’s what we call ourselves) are having a good laugh over the theme. As one of my Facebook friends said:
“Baltimore. Good at crab cakes. Bad at slogans.”
Here, why don’t you take a look for yourself: Baltimore Sets Record for World’s Largest Human Smiley Face
Let me know what you think. I’m originally from Detroit, so I could be a little jaded!
Look, I’m all for happy. Life is too short to not be happy, but I don’t think putting people in orange rain slickers and making a ginormous happy face is going to change anything.
Here’s a couple of news items from Charm City the past couple of days:
- An 18-month-old baby tested positive for gonorrhea and police suspect she was sexually assaulted by a 21 year friend of the family.
- In an effort to balance the budget, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is thinking about reducing the size of the police force. Criminals should be happy about that, anyway.
You know what would make me happy?
Having enough money to keep our police department fully staffed, and castrating repulsive child sex offenders.
But that could just be me.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find my happy place…
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Hi Tamara,
I have to confess that I did not read the whole article, but what I did read had me interested in visiting Baltimore. But after seing the, what is it suposed to be again? Oh yeh, ‘Smiley Face’ that 250 people were able to achieve, not so sure I want to go anymore. Looks sorta, how can I put this kindly… Nope, can’t be done, I have to be honest, it looks like a ‘Deranged Smiley Face’, to me. Or a sick pumpkin. Kind of spooky in a sad way. Maybe the angle of the camera was all wrong?
I think I will speed through your state if I am ever over there. Especially since I will be able to speed with the money being spent on this kind of advertising and taken away from law enforcement. I think I will go visit a place where I will be safer. Can you recommend one?
anir
Here’s the thing, Anir….I happen to love this goofy city I’ve lived in for almost 23 years. There are so many things that are wrong with it, and so many things that are right. It has lots of heart, and some of the zaniest people I’ve ever met.
It also has a big crime problem…and I just don’t think this silly campaign is going to help things any…I think it just makes us look silly. But that could just be me.
I would definitely suggest you visit, hit all the great neighborhoods like Fells Point, Federal Hill, and Mt. Vernon, Charles Village, and of course, our lovely Inner Harbor.
The State of Maryland is beautiful…you can always enjoy a stay at the beach, down in Ocean City!
Love Ocean City!
Ocean city is a classic beach town, that’s for sure! I always try to get down at least once each summer. But I really, really love Bethany Beach, Delaware just several miles north of OC….and, Delaware shopping is tax free!
That is definitely a plus!!!