Tax Cuts Are New Mexico’s Hook

DALLAS McKee Wallwork Henderson promotes New Mexico’s income tax reduction in a print campaign designed to lure businesses to the state.

The ad combines a large photograph of Governor Bill Richardson with the following copy: “A Democratic Governor? Who cuts taxes? By 40%? Hey, we’ve been telling you it’s different in New Mexico.” Additional text invites readers to call a toll-free number for information and declares, “See just how serious he is about earning your business.”

The shop presented the concept to its client, the New Mexico Economic Development Department, a week before Richardson signed a tax reduction package on Feb. 14.

“We concepted this ad knowing that when this passed we needed to get the message out ASAP,” said agency account supervisor Cynthia Stoy. “We’ve been saying New Mexico is different and now we’re proving it.”

The ad breaks in the Chicago-area Wall Street Journal on Feb. 26 and starts running in the Western edition of the same newspaper during the week of March 3. Stoy said research has shown those markets are key targets for the effort.

The ad will also appear in the April edition of Inc. magazine.