To the editor:

It was a pleasure to see your editorial on the "Biggest Little State in the Union" in last week's issue. 

As a New York Madison Avenue copywriter I created many ads with national exposure backed by enormous media budgets: but nothing gave me as much joy as my slogan for my adopted state of Rhode Island and the resulting campaign.

Today, I am one of Rhode Island's few professional hypnotists. I have come a long way from writing cake commercials (Duncan Hines Cakes) and tobacco commercials (El Producto cigars) to helping people lose weight (stop eating cakes, cookies, etc) and quitting smoking (no more cigarettes or cigars). 

But I had my 15 minutes of true fame when my new state embraced something I did with a passion that surprised us all at the time. 

No one does anything alone in advertising. It is always a team effort. And I want to thank all those who made it possible, especially my boss at the time, Bill Comeau (today a minister and college lecturer). 

I am not sure if "The Biggest Little State in the Union" is the right way for Rhode Island to promote itself today. But I do think it is a little cooler than what the state looked at recently and maybe something Rhode Islanders could more easily warm up to once again.

John Koenig

Barrington