Gazette reports on WTF Nun campaign

Montreal Gazette reports on the WTF Nun campaign

Edgy or over the edge?
Ads targeting hard-to-reach young consumers can land a company in hot water - just ask Couche-Tard
ALLISON LAMPERT, The Gazette
Published: Saturday, May 19, 2007

The nun kneels beside a lamb, her arms outstretched toward the heavens.
She gazes longingly toward the golden light - and at the image of an orange frosted drink emblazoned with the letters: "WTF." WTF is teenage text messaging and online lingo for "What the f---." Surprise, surprise - online forums and blogs and conservative Christian groups were having a field day this month debating and denouncing the ad, created for Quebec depanneur giant Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.'s Ontario convenience stores.

Read the rest of this article at The Gazette

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The stores operate as Mac's Convenience in Ontario. Notice that Mac’s is getting the media coverage for the controversy they created. But they seem to have lost the urge to run with this viral marketing. They pulled the "WTF Nun" poster. If they had kept the poster up for a bit longer teens would have gone to the stores just to see the poster. If fact teens have even bought copies of the poster. These things have a short half life. Mac’s just did not think this through enough. I guess the management at Mac's is getting too old and cautious. Maybe Mac's should get out of marketing to teens. Leave it to marketers with bigger cahones.


George Torok
Co-author of "Secrets of Power Marketing"
Marketing specialist, consultant and business speaker