There's So Much More To New York Than That

Native Creative Concierge client snapping photos at Fort Washington
during our half day excursion
(Source) 

A friend recently shared a commercial by an Israeli company in which he appears. Two things jumped out at me when I watched the ad - the role he was cast in and the product the commercial was for.

That's Nimesh Gandhi, being greeted rather enthusiastically by his cab by the man at Grand Central Station. New York cabbies have long been portrayed has turban-wearing immigrants. Truth? Generalization? Exaggeration?


This man travels to New York to find his brother and have a welcoming meal of  bagels and cream cheese on what looks like a sidewalk in Brooklyn or the LES. Doesn't get more NY than bagels, right? Recently folks lined up for two hours in San Francisco for day-old New York bagels from Russ & Daughters. So there must be something to it.


Is this commercial merely an example of a group of people claiming their contribution to NY culture to promote their product, Gad New York Cream Cheese? 


There are preconceived notions, stereotypes and truths about New York that are held in the hearts and heads of many around the world. Even in New Yorkers, themselves. I face them with my clients. Some of funny. Some I have to nod my head in agreement with. The same can be said for other cities, countries and groups of people from around the world. Consider what you believe to be true about the French or Brazilians, Italians, Canada or people from New Jersey or Florida.


What comes to mind when you think about New York? And notice I didn't say NYC. Usually someone mentions 'New York' and it's assumed you mean New York City and not Buffalo or Albany or Corning. I've been using the slogan, "There's so much more to NY than Times Square!" since last summer for Native Creative Concierge. And  I Love NY, began a campaign to increase tourism to other parts of New York State. Their slogan? "There's much more to New York than NY." We're both trying to get people to experience outside of the box. There's more to New York City than bagels, cabbies and foreigners, right? How would you characterize NYC?

*   *   *