Molson Coors launched a summer beer campaign that centered around the theme that their beer is “Colder than…” many frosty things, including people from Toronto. The advertising blitz was launched in British Columbia with several billboards advertising the slogan that Molson Coors is “Colder Than the People of Toronto.”
The beer company apologized and bowed to pressure from no less than 20 angry Toronto residents who saw the billboards and had a meltdown. The offensive ads are in the process of being taken down and this costly campaign will force Molson Coors to think twice about poking fun at certain segments of the Canadian population.
It’s interesting how billboard ads have traditionally been used to depict racy, overly sexual men and women to sell their product and that appears to be okay with the majority of the Canadian public. But pick on the people of Toronto in a billboard? You’ve been warned... Ain’t gonna happen, my friend!
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Regional Insensitivity
- Businesses must avoid regional jokes in their marketing campaigns to prevent a backlash from offended consumers.
- Interactive Advertising
- Companies can use interactive advertising methods to engage their customers and avoid offending them with insensitive marketing campaigns.
- Hyperlocal Marketing
- Hyperlocal marketing can help businesses target specific regional communities with customized advertising that avoids offending local cultures.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Advertising
- The advertising industry needs to rethink their traditional marketing methods in order to avoid backlash from sensitive consumers.
- Beverage
- The beverage industry needs to be more mindful of their regional marketing campaigns and the potential backlash from offended consumers.
- Tourism
- The tourism industry can benefit from hyperlocal marketing campaigns that take into account the cultural sensitivities of each region, and appeal to local communities.
