I Love New York

"I Love New York" (often written as "I ❤ NY") is a famous slogan, logo, and song that have been used since 1977 to encourage people to visit the state of New York. It was created by the marketing company Wells, Rich, and Greene, led by Mary Wells Lawrence. You can see this logo in souvenir shops and tourism materials all around New York.

The logo was designed in 1976 by artist Milton Glaser. He drew it quickly in the back of a taxi using a red crayon on scrap paper. Today, the original drawing is kept safe in the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan.

There is also a song called "I Love New York" written by Steve Karmen. He gave the rights to the state so everyone can enjoy it. Together, the slogan, logo, and song have become an important part of showing how wonderful New York is to visitors and locals alike.

Logo

The logo has the letter I followed by a red heart symbol, with N and Y below it. It uses a special font called American Typewriter.

In 1976, an official from the New York State Department of Commerce asked an advertising company called Wells Rich Greene to help make a campaign for the state. They brought in a graphic designer named Milton Glaser to create a design. He came up with the idea in a taxi, using the letter I, a heart, and the letters NY. He placed the I and heart above the NY to make the design special.

Glaser thought the campaign would only last a few months, but the logo became very popular and is still used today. Many people think of it as a symbol of New York City. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the logo became even more important as a sign of support. Glaser made a special version that said "I Love NY More Than Ever" to help raise money for families affected by the attacks.

New York State anthem

"I Love New York" was written and composed by Steve Karmen in 1977 as part of an advertising campaign. In 1980, Governor Hugh Carey declared it as New York's state anthem, though it was not officially made a law. In a kind and generous move, Karmen gave the rights to the song to the state for free.

In 2020, during a difficult time for the city because of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, Karmen wrote a new verse to show how strong and united the city was. Although this new verse was never recorded or used, it celebrated the spirit of working together.

Lyrics

Original 1977 lyrics:

I love New York
0('cause it's so exciting!)
I love New York
0(And there's no place like it.)
I love New York
0('cause it's exciting!)
I love New York
0(And there's no place like it.)

There isn't another like it
no matter where you go.
And nobody can compare it.
It's greater than place and show.
You know...
New York is special,
You know, New York is different!
'Cause there's no place else on earth quite like New York!

Additional verse written in 2020:

Whenever we face a crisis
New Yorkers find a way
When everyone works together
New Heroes Everyday
New York is family
You know nothing beats family And we'll win this fight together
'Cause we're New York
That's why I Love New York

Imitations

The "I Love New York" logo has become very popular and has inspired many copies around the world. You can see items with phrases like "I love..." in places where tourists visit. Funny versions, such as "I love my pets" or "I love seals," have also shown up. Expressions starting with "I heart..." come from interpreting the logo in a literal way, like in the 2004 movie I Heart Huckabees and the company iHeartMedia.

The government of New York has tried to protect its special logo. By 2005, they had objected to almost 3,000 copies, and in 2012 alone, they sent out 100 letters asking people to stop using it. Some of these objections were dropped, such as when a court decided in 1980 that Saturday Night Live did not break the rules with its "I Love Sodom" sketch, saying it was just a funny imitation.

In March 2023, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Partnership for New York City created "We ❤️ NYC," a new version of the logo. This version changes "NY" to "NYC" and "I" to "We." The design uses a simple font with the heart symbol shaded and placed a bit differently. Some people said the new slogan and design were not very original or stylish.