Surrey Tourism Campaign Withdrawn After Public Outcry
A controversial tourism campaign launched by Discover Surrey, the destination marketing organization for the city, has been scrapped just one day after its debut. The campaign, titled 'Surrey, Not Sorry,' was designed to attract visitors for the upcoming World Cup but faced immediate backlash from residents and local officials.
Mayor Calls for Campaign Withdrawal
Mayor Brenda Locke expressed strong disapproval of the slogan, stating it failed to capture the confidence and pride that Surrey deserves. In a statement to Postmedia, she emphasized that future promotional efforts must better reflect the city's identity and ongoing development. "While I appreciate the intention, I do not support a slogan that falls short of the confidence and pride this city deserves," Locke said.
Campaign Intended to Break Through Noise
Ange Chew, executive director of Discover Surrey, explained that the campaign was created in-house and aimed to be 'edgy' to help Surrey stand out among Metro Vancouver cities competing for World Cup visitors. The tagline was described as 'on the cheeky side of things' and targeted American and international visitors aged 20 to 40, rather than local British Columbia residents.
Chew noted that the campaign sought to address Surrey's reputation, shaped by old assumptions, and present the city as an emerging destination with stunning shorelines, global flavors, and seamless connections across Metro Vancouver. "It is a challenge. Surrey is not a primary destination, it is an emerging destination," she said, highlighting the difficulty in promoting the city's offerings.
Marketing Experts Question Campaign's Clarity
Marketing professionals raised concerns about the campaign's messaging. Paula Skaper, a business strategist and founder of 33Dolphins Growth Strategy, questioned whether the slogan was mocking Canadian stereotypes or intended as an inside joke for locals. "Is it mocking how Canadians say sorry, or is it a private joke for locals? It's either incredibly clever, or a bit of a dud," Skaper remarked before the campaign's cancellation was announced.
Campaign to Be Revamped with City Input
Following the negative feedback, Discover Surrey has halted the campaign and plans to revamp it with input from the city before relaunching. Chew confirmed that the organization received complaints from residents and acknowledged that this was their first attempt at pushing marketing boundaries. The goal was to capture attention with the tagline and then showcase Surrey as 'unapologetically proud of what it has to offer.'
The FIFA World Cup presents a significant opportunity for Surrey to showcase itself to an international audience with no preconceptions. However, the campaign's perplexing nature led to its swift withdrawal, underscoring the challenges of balancing edginess with effective communication in tourism marketing.
