Regina’s tourism agency recently faced backlash over their new marketing slogans that were accused of “sexualizing” the city. Experience Regina launched the new campaign with slogans like “grab life by the ballparks” and “unleash your inner prairie nymph,” but the response from the public and local officials was not what they expected. Many people deemed the slogans inappropriate and disrespectful, prompting the tourism agency to issue an apology. In this article, we will explore the controversy and reactions to Experience Regina’s advertising campaign, and examine the impact of slogans that can be seen as objectifying or offensive.
Experience Regina, the organization formerly known as Tourism Regina, recently rebranded and unveiled new tourism slogans, including “Show us your Regina” and “The City that Rhymes with Fun,” which received criticism online. As a result, the organization issued an apology and took responsibility for the rebranding campaign’s shortfalls. Tim Reid, CEO of Experience Regina, confirmed the group was apologizing for two of its slogans and said, “It was clear that we fell short of what is expected from our amazing community with some slogans that we used.”
Reid said that stakeholders, agencies, and focus groups were involved in the process, but he took responsibility for the failures despite others’ involvement. Regina Mayor Sandra Masters is expected to speak about the rebrand and apology after city council on Wednesday.
According to Reid, the Experience Regina theme and song received positive feedback, but some marketing tactics “bumped into sexuality” and should not have been used. He explained the tourism organization “crossed the line on some of the poking fun at ourselves around our city name” and that a conversation he had on the topic over the weekend was, “Would you be proud to have this conversation with your kids?” Reid said the organization received feedback and learned they went too far, and anything that has sexual connotations or has been the focal point of criticism from the community has been removed.
Kristen McLeod, a former Tourism Regina board member, wrote a letter to the mayor stating that the campaign was “blatantly disrespectful” to people in the city. She expressed concern about the slogan’s sexual connotations and if male genitalia would have been a focus in the future. She felt that the campaign led her to feel like she didn’t belong in Regina after living there for nearly 50 years.
Ward 1 Coun. Cheryl Stadnichuk posted to Facebook about the campaign slogans, saying she had no advanced notice of them and was “disappointed and appalled” with the “sexist messaging of the new Experience Regina.” She expressed concern about the serious ramifications of the slogans and society’s responsibility to teach boys and men about consent, saying that these slogans do the opposite. Stadnichuk stated that those responsible for the campaign must answer to council and the public about how the campaign was allowed to happen.
Reid stated that the organization will keep the name Experience Regina, as it marked the first significant move from Reid since REAL was put in charge of the city’s tourism organization last year. He explained that the rebrand was an attempt to capitalize on a phrase popularized by “Experience Regina,” a viral video viewed nearly 700,000 times after it was uploaded to YouTube in 2008. Due to the similarity between the words Regina and vagina, the name of the song prompted laughs from late-night talk show hosts and audiences.
Although the mood was optimistic initially, Reid and some of the companies that supported the rebranding have since apologized or taken down posts associated with the campaign. For example, 22Fresh, a clothing company, originally advertised sweaters on Instagram with the phrase “The city that rhymes with fun” and later deleted the post. Last Mountain Distillery also deleted a post celebrating the rebrand, but it has since published an apology.
In summary, Experience Regina apologized for its recent rebranding campaign and two slogans, “Show us your Regina” and “The City that Rhymes with Fun,” after receiving criticism online. Tim Reid, CEO of Experience Regina, took responsibility for the campaign’s shortcomings, and Mayor Sandra Masters is expected to speak about the rebrand and related apology. Although the organization will keep the name Experience Regina, some companies associated with the campaign have apologized or removed associated posts.
In conclusion, Experience Regina’s recent controversy highlights the importance of paying attention to how language can shape our perceptions and values. Though the organization intended to promote the city’s attractions with catchy, lighthearted slogans, they ended up creating a negative association with sexual objectification. However, the apology and promises to do better show that they are willing to learn from their missteps and become more inclusive in their messaging. As Regina continues to grow and evolve, let us all strive to recognize and celebrate the diverse qualities that make it a special place to live, work, and visit.
