N.L. government wants ad removed as critics blast Vrbo online
CTV
A Minister in Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial government is asking Vrbo to remove a Super Bowl ad that has upset Newfoundlanders.
A minister in Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial government has asked Vrbo, a marketplace for vacation rentals, to take down an ad that he claims demeans a cherished folk song and the province.
Steve Crocker, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Tourism and Culture, said in a statement Monday that he spoke with leadership at the company and asked to remove the video from their online platforms and from television.
The ad features folk song "I'se the b'y" over videos of a barn and shrieking farm animals, and shows travellers disappointed with their accommodations.
"I'se the B'y is synonymous with our province and culture," Crocker said. "As Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, we take strong exception to Vrbo using the song in this derogatory manner."
The advertisement was published on YouTube on Jan. 27, but drew significantly more attention when it was broadcast during Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Crocker said his department has received "innumerable complaints" about the commercial, and even more since Sunday evening.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Vrbo said "the spot pokes fun at our competition, not anyone in Newfoundland."
