The Peanut Patch

This partial list of city nicknames in the United States compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities are known by , officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce. City nicknames can help establish a civic identity, help outsiders recognize a community, attract people to a community because of its nickname, promote civic pride, and build community unity. Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community ideology or myth are also believed to have economic value. This value is difficult to measure, but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by branding themselves by adopting new slogans.In 2005 the consultancy Tagline Guru conducted a small survey of professionals in the fields of branding, marketing, and advertising aimed at identifying the best U.S. city slogans and nicknames. Participants were asked to evaluate about 800 nicknames and 400 slogans, considering several criteria in their assessments. The assigned criteria were: whether the nickname or slogan expresses the brand character, affinity, style, and personality of the city, whether it tells a story in a clever, fun, and memorable way, uniqueness and originality, and whether it inspires you to visit there, live there, or learn more.The top-ranked nickname in the survey was New York City's The Big Apple, followed by Sin City , The Big Easy , Motor City , and The Windy City . In addition to the number-two nickname, Las Vegas had the top-rated slogan: What Happens Here, Stays Here. The second- through fifth-place slogans were So Very Virginia , Always Turned On , Cleveland Rocks! , and The Sweetest Place on Earth .Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.
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