What the nation thinks of Oklahoma.

Recently the State Chamber commissioned the pollster John Zogby to conduct a poll on the status of Oklahoma among non residents. The news overall is pretty good.

What is your overall view of the state of Oklahoma – very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable or are you not familiar enough to form an opinion?

Very favorable 13%
Somewhat favorable 34
Total Favorable 47%
Somewhat unfavorable 14%
Very unfavorable 3 %
Total Unfavorable 17%
Not familiar 31%
Not sure 6 %

However what is troubling is that 31 percent of people don't know enough about Oklahoma to have an opinion. This is a clear indicator, that Oklahomans should use our Centennial year to promote our state better.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word Oklahoma?

Broadway musical “Oklahoma” 25%
1995 Oklahoma City federal building bombing 24%
Oil, natural gas wells 6%
Oklahoma college football 5%
Native Americans, “Trail of Tears”, casinos, related issues 4%
Plains, prairies, flat land, grasslands, wide open spaces 3%
Home, family and/or friends live there 3%
A state, near Texas, near Nebraska, Midwest, west or south of me 3%
Rednecks, backwards, uneducated hicks, trailer trash 2%
Dustbowl, depression, “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck 2%
Wind, red dirt, dry, hot, desolate, tumbleweeds 2%
Cowboys, ranches, cattle, steaks, rodeos, horse shows 2%
Tornado, “Tornado Alley”, “twisters” movie 2%

The volunteered response show an accurate reflection of what people think of the state. Only 6% provided truly negative views of the state. The people with the response 'Rednecks, backwards, uneducated hicks, trailer trash' was the most troubling in the survey. Also something that caught my attention was lack of response in the area of weather, even though Oklahoma's economic future is highly dependent on weather.