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Strategy August 08, 2019

‘Nebraska. Honestly, It’s Not For Everyone’ Merch Has Arrived

The reverse psychology-style, tourism marketing campaign’s clever slogan now features on T-shirts and mugs.

By  Christopher Ruvo

Nebraska might not be for everyone, but its just-launched line of branded merchandise will carry appeal for lovers of creative marketing everywhere.

The Nebraska Tourism Commission has debuted a line of logoed swag that features its official new slogan: “Nebraska. Honestly, it’s not for everyone.” So far, the collection includes a cotton blend T-Shirt ($19.99), a cotton blend raglan tee ($24.99), and a coffee mug ($15.99).

The tagline the merch bears is the centerpiece of a new marketing campaign from the tourism commission that’s aimed at attracting more visitors to the Cornhusker State. As the “Honestly, it’s not for everyone” phrase indicates, the campaign departs from the homespun “Nebraska Nice” of the recent past in favor of a self-deprecating humor that state officials and the advertising experts they worked with say resonated well in focus groups. Certainly, the slogan – and its corresponding merchandise – has its fans.

John Ricks, executive director of the tourism commission, told the Cherokee Tribune & Ledger News that his team has, for months, been getting requests "left and right" from Nebraskans and folks from out-of-state who wanted to buy merch bearing the “Honestly...” tagline. Now those individuals have the chance. “With our new campaign’s continued popularity and success, we’re excited to capitalize on that popularity further by selling merchandise,” Ricks said.

The campaign includes advertisements that play off negative perceptions about Nebraska (It’s boring. It’s flat. There’s nothing to do.), juxtaposing imagery that contradicts the stereotypes against text that articulates the various slag-offs. It’s a bit of a marketing masterstroke, if you ask us. The campaign has garnered media attention, transformed criticism into positivity, stoked pride among Nebraskans and, it’s hoped, helped stir up interest in visiting the state. “To make people listen, you have to hook them somehow,” Ricks told the Omaha World-Herald. “We had to shake people up.”