“Why die on Mars, when you can live in South Dakota?”
That’s the tagline at the heart of a new South Dakota campaign where the state is positing itself as a better option than Mars.
“We are working on recruiting people to our state," Pat Costello, commissioner of the Governor's Office of Economic Development, told msnbc.com.
South Dakota decided to have a little fun with their recruiting method.
The goal of the campaign, unveiled last week by the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development, is to remind the mere 200,000 people who recently signed up for a one way trip to Mars that the planet is a “cold and baron” place where “the air is not breathable.” South Dakota, however, has breathable air, is closer, and has jobs for all those looking for a new home.
"Our goal is to build brand awareness of South Dakota. We are not just the home of Mt. Rushmore, but a home to thriving industries and job growth opportunities," Costello said. "We currently have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country but we need people to move to South Dakota to solve our workforce shortage,"
With an unemployment rate at 3.5%, which is well below the national unemployment rate of 5.5%, the state is very excited about the opportunities this campaign is presenting.
"The response has been unbelievable as this campaign has gone viral," Costello said.