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Insulted by WTF Froster Marketing Posters
Read the article / show / issue that provoked me to write a letter and my response below that or go straight to my response
Date Posted on this Site
May 15, 2007
Publication
LifeSite News
Publication Date
May 9, 2007
Published Content
What the Huh? Mac's Convenience Stores Running Offensive Froster Ads
By John-Henry Westen
LAVAL, QC, May 9, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Mac's Convenience Stores, the most popular convenience stores in Canada, with a strong presence in the United States as well, have launched what many are seeing as a highly offensive advertising campaign for their frosted carbonated drink - froster.
Posters seen in Mac's store windows feature a nun kneeling with her arms raised and a sheep at her side. Above the nun, to which she looks adoringly, is a shining froster with the initials WTF below.
WTF is part of a family of Internet acronyms which have grown in popularity with the use of email and instant messaging. Dictionaries of such abbreviations such as http://www.netlingo.com define WTF as "What the Fu**". However, store owners when confronted about the acronym have told customers that it is supposed to stand for "What the Flavour".
That interpretation however is dubious since the small sized froster referred to as a WTF is accompanied by the medium sized OMGWTF, and the large-size RUNTSOMGWTF. According to NetLingo, OMG stands for "Oh My God" and RUNTS for "Are You Nuts".
Mac's convenience stores are owned by parent company Couche-Tard which is headquartered in Laval Quebec. The Couche-Tard chain has over 2,000 stores in Canada as well as a considerable presence in the U.S., with more than 3,000 additional stores. The U.S. stores are located in 28 states. The stores are primarily operated under the Couche-Tard® and Mac's® trademarks in Canada and the Circle K® trademark in the U.S.
The polite alternate slogans are not convincing net-savvy teens who are coming into Mac's stores glibly saying "What the Fu**" according to concerned parents who contacted LifeSiteNews.com. Store-managers are themselves frustrated by the ad campaign but have told patrons that they have no authority to ban the vulgar campaign and those concerned must contact Couche-Tard directly.
My Response Letter
(Sent to Mac's and Couche-Tard)
To whom it may concern:
I find it abhorrent that the Mac's Convenience chain believes it appropriate to mock and belittle the faith of millions of North American Catholics with its derogatory "WTF" posters.
It is a grave insult to portray a religious person adoring a frosted drink, even more so when blasphemous language is used (WTF being an Internet acronym for "What the F***?").
I am wondering if Mac's would be so cavalier with images representative of the Jewish or Muslim faiths? I strongly doubt it.
At the very least, Mac's should remove these posters from store windows and offer an apology to Catholics.
Sincerely,
Jason Gennaro
Aurora, ON
Did I get a response?
Yes (from Carol Magill at Mac's)
Thank you very much for your feedback regarding our recent promotional campaign for Froster drinks.
We sincerely apologize if our campaign has offended you. Please be assured it was not our intent to offend or insult any of our customers.
We have removed these posters from our stores on May 10, 2007 - should there be one remaining in your area please let me know and I will arrange to have it removed.
Again, we thank you for your feedback it is much appreciated.