Here are two cool things about Choose New Jersey’s 2023 campaign: “This Is New Jersey.”
The campaign, which used images and messaging that showcased New Jersey as a great place to live, work and grow a business, achieved 4.3 billion impressions in 2023, tripling the 2022 results.
And those figures were achieved before FIFA announced the 2026 World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium.
In other words, the branding for the state — and the potential branding for the state in the coming years — has never been brighter.
You can argue that New Jersey isn’t preparing for its global spotlight — rather, it’s moving to accentuate it with the multimillion-dollar marketing campaign.
Choose New Jersey Chair Ralph LaRossa (who also serves as chair and CEO of Public Service Enterprise Group) certainly feels that way.
“This has truly been a transformative year for Choose New Jersey,” he said.
“Choose New Jersey extended its international footprint, enhanced the team and board, and attracted the highest level of grant funding in the organization’s history. The team’s tireless efforts ensured that the organization remains a driving force in the New Jersey economy, contributing substantially to the prosperity of the state and fostering a climate of advancement.”
Choose New Jersey, the state’s leading nonprofit business attraction organization, marked many of these achievements in its 2023 Annual Report.
Highlights from 2023 include the opening of the New Jersey Israel Center and the announcement of the New Jersey Asia-Pacific Center, which came during a nine-day, three-stop economic mission throughout East Asia that was led by Gov. Phil Murphy.
Murphy certainly is thrilled.
“Choose New Jersey’s steadfast commitment has been instrumental in fostering the economic success of the state in 2023,” he said. “Their tireless efforts have generated thousands of jobs and attracted billions of dollars of investment to the Garden State.”
The economic mission to East Asia in October was the most expansive mission to date for both Choose New Jersey and the Murphy administration.
Approximately 60 leaders from government, businesses, universities and economic development organizations joined the delegation on the mission to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Choose New Jersey officials said the mission resulted in over 1,000 new and strengthened relationships, including over 25 business agreements, academic collaborations, research partnerships and Memoranda of Understanding — along with the announcement of the opening of the New Jersey Asia-Pacific Center in Taipei City, Taiwan, in 2024.
Choose New Jersey CEO Wes Mathews said the state is making a statement on the global stage.
“Our economic missions to East Asia, Israel, India and Ireland this year demonstrate our commitment to bringing the global community to our doorstep, with New Jersey serving as the perfect gateway for businesses looking to expand to the United States,” he said.
The 2023 “This Is New Jersey” campaign, funded by state grants totaling $10 million, was featured on billboards, transit ads, taxi tops, car wraps, and digital and social ads.
Mathews feels the work that Choose New Jersey has done in 2023 will propel the organization moving forward — all the way to the 2026 World Cup final.
Choose New Jersey was instrumental in helping to pitch the state for the honor, Mathews said. He said he’s now counting on the state’s expanding footprint and reach to allow Choose New Jersey to increase output, attract more businesses to the state and demonstrate to the world why New Jersey is the best place to start or expand a business.
Click here to view the annual report online.
