The Ontario government is in hot water because of a poorly thought out idea for a global warming marketing campaign aimed at youth:
The Ontario government's decision to help fund an edgy ad campaign against global warming is a "flicking" disgrace that shows a shocking lack of judgement, the opposition charged yesterday.
The campaign against climate change-launched yesterday by Environment minister Laurel Broten and billionaire Richard Branson-encourages youth to "FLICK OFF."
The slogan's font clearly is designed to make flick look like a four-letter-word.
New Democrat Peter Kormos reacted by saying it "blows his flicking mind" how Broten could be involved with the campaign, which includes stickers and T-shirts.
The campaign-which is partially funded with $500,000 of provincial tax dollars and prides itself on a "conversational, tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek style"-is a great way to reach out to a younger demographic and get them involved in fighting global warming, Broten said.
The website-which asks "Are We Flicked?" and urges browsers to "Go Flick Yourself!"-is part of a "really innovative campaign," Broten said.
If you want to see the swag, go to Key Gordon Communications and navigate through the flash menus to portfolio.
But besides the t-shirts and such, there is another cost to this campaign:
This screen capture shows a search of the phrase "flick off", and the FlickOff.org website coming up as sponsored link in an AdWords campaign. That means the Flick Off people have paid Google to put that link there when that search is executed. If someone clicks on the link, Google demands payment from the Flick Off people.
How much? About 8 cents per click. But there are more words being bid on:
- flick it off
- flik off
- flicks off
- flicking off
- flick you off
- flck you off
- hlick off
- dlick off
- vlick off
- flick of
- flick off the switch
These all cost about the same. As the controversy over the suitability of the FlickOff campaign continues, people will continue to search these terms. If they click on the sponsored ad, it will cost money. There is not enough data to know what the traffic volume is, but whatever it is, it's going up. The pity is that a lot of these clicks will be from reporters and others researching the controversy, with no particular interest in the Flick Off program. More wasted money.
