The nickname "The Big Apple" was popularized in the 1920s by John J. Fitz Gerald, a horse-racing reporter for the New York Morning Telegraph. He first heard the phrase used by African American stable hands in New Orleans who referred to the New York City racing circuit—the ultimate goal for any jockey or trainer—as "The Big Apple," implying it was the biggest and most lucrative prize in the industry. Fitz Gerald eventually named his column "Around the Big Apple" and used the term to describe the city's overall prestige. Later, in the 1930s and 40s, jazz musicians adopted the phrase, saying there were "many apples on the tree, but only one Big Apple," meaning that while there were many cities to play in, New York was the premier destination for success. The term fell out of common use for a few decades but was aggressively revived in the early 1970s by Charles Gillett and the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau. They launched a massive marketing campaign to improve the city's image during a period of high crime and fiscal crisis, using the "Big Apple" as a symbol of a bright, vibrant, and healthy city. The campaign was so successful that the name stuck and remains the most recognized nickname for New York City worldwide today.