Because... of course. This makes complete sense.
Over on a Tumblr site called Maps on the Web, a guy named Steve Lovelace puts up maps visualizing a whole smorgasbord of interesting stuff -- from where the black death hit in Europe to U.S. airspace. Back in May, the site featured a map of the United States filled with the corporate brands most associated with each state.
Some of the choices are no-brainers (California gets Apple; Oregon is linked to Nike; Washington state is Starbucks); others leave you wondering (Saks is based in Alabama? All Wyoming's got is Taco John's? What's an "AOL"?). Florida, no duh, is linked to Hooters.
Why? We've got plenty of suit-jacketed big names -- from Office Depot to Publix to the National Enquirer. Is this coming from market research? In-depth test-group study? Economic impact studies coupled with multiplier-effect analysis? Cleavage? Wings? Cleavage?
Well, the OG breastaurant did first open back in 1983 in Clearwater, and the chain now has more than 50 locations in the Sunshine State. But the business' corporate offices are now anchored in Atlanta, and it's hard to pin down a chain so ubiquitous to strip-mall America to one national niche.
Then again, the company slogan, "delightfully tacky yet unrefined," is T-shirt-slogan shorthand for the simple life, bro-out mentality that pretty much defines a certain part of the state. Some of us celebrate it; some of us are meh. Then again, that corporate philosophy was enough to rack up $858 million in revenue in 2011, so something is clicking.
If for some reason your state pride isn't exactly inflated by the association, there's a second opinion out there. Just last week, the same site put up a take two, which completely overhauls the list. This time around, Florida came out linked with Disney.
The Mouse and the Owl, the two polls of corporate fantasy.
Follow @NewTimesBroward
