NYers Can’t Stop Laughing at That “Move to Ohio” Billboard
You know New Yorkers—sharp as a fresh deli knife and proud as hell of their city. So when some billboard popped up telling them to pack their bags for Ohio? Yeah, that didn’t go over well. The ad, which seemed to take a swipe at politician Zohran Mamdani, got roasted harder than a street vendor’s pretzel. Social media exploded, random folks on the street cracked jokes, and honestly? Ohio might as well be on another planet for most New Yorkers. But here’s the thing: why did this silly billboard hit such a nerve?
1. Wait—What Even Was This Billboard?
The “Message” (If You Can Call It That)
Picture this: you’re walking down some NYC street, and bam—there’s a giant sign telling you to move to Ohio if you’re tired of local politics. No subtlety, no clever wordplay. Just… Ohio. The folks behind it (some conservative group, apparently) were clearly taking shots at Mamdani’s socialist policies without actually naming him. But instead of sparking some grand political debate, it became the city’s favorite punching bag for a week.
Why Mamdani Though?
Okay, real talk—Zohran Mamdani’s the kind of politician who gets people fired up. Queens rep, democratic socialist, pushes for stuff like rent control and police reform. Love him or hate him, he’s become a symbol of NYC’s leftward tilt. But here’s where the billboard flopped: nobody could figure out why Ohio was the suggested alternative. Like, of all places? Seriously?
2. New Yorkers Respond Exactly How You’d Expect
Twitter Went Nuclear
My favorite tweet? “Move to Ohio? I’d rather lick a subway pole.” Brutal. The memes wrote themselves—NYC skyscrapers photoshopped next to Ohio cornfields, side-by-side comparisons of Broadway vs…. whatever Ohio does for fun. One genius even made a fake tourism ad: “Visit Ohio! Our biggest export is people moving out!”
Street Interviews Were Gold
Caught this construction guy, Leroy, on his lunch break near Times Square. His reaction? “Ohio? Man, I wouldn’t go there if you paid me.” And he’s not wrong—what’s even in Ohio? No decent bagels, trains that actually run on time (wait, scratch that, they don’t have trains), and…
The Cincinnati Chili Incident
Some poor Ohioan tried defending their weird spaghetti-with-cinnamon “chili.” Big mistake. One Brooklynite deadpanned, “I’d rather eat a dirty water dog that fell in the gutter.” Harsh? Maybe. Accurate? Absolutely.
3. But Really—Why Ohio?
Politics, Obviously
This fits a pattern—conservative groups love these dramatic billboard campaigns. Remember Vivek Ramaswamy’s Times Square stunt? Same energy. But here’s the kicker: these ads never actually convince anyone. They just make the other side dig in harder. Case in point—this billboard basically became a love letter to NYC.
Apples and… Corn?
Sure, Ohio’s cheaper. But try telling a New Yorker that. It’s like comparing a Broadway show to a high school play. The energy, the diversity, the sheer chaos of NYC—Ohio might as well be Mars. The billboard wasn’t just tone-deaf, it was practically a parody of itself.
4. Billboard Fails: A NYC Tradition
Remember That Anti-Vax Billboard?
NYC’s streets have seen it all—anti-vax nonsense, pro-Trump rants, you name it. These ads are less about changing minds and more about getting attention. And usually? They backfire spectacularly.
Do They Ever Work?
Let me put it this way: when was the last time you saw a billboard and went, “Wow, they’re right—I should completely change my worldview”? Exactly. These things just give people something to laugh at while they wait for the subway.
5. So What Actually Happened?
In the end, that billboard did one thing perfectly: it reminded New Yorkers why they put up with $5 coffees and shoebox apartments. The jokes wrote themselves, the city bonded over mocking Ohio, and the whole thing became a case study in how not to do political messaging. As for Ohio? Maybe next time try offering free Broadway tickets or something.
Best Clapbacks (Because They Deserve Their Own Section)
- “Ohio’s so boring, their ghosts are thinking about moving out.”
- “I’ll pay Manhattan rent when Ohio gets a single restaurant that doesn’t have a drive-thru.”
- “New York rats have better career prospects than Ohio college grads.”
Source: NY Post – US News
