General

Introducing Oily the Splot: Because who didn’t love being ambushed by the ever-helpful Clippy?

Okay, so I’m probably not exactly the target demographic for the new Conservative ad campaign – which is given far more thoughtful consideration by Colleagues Wells and Wherry. But really, how many undecided voters out there are going to give serious consideration to what an anthropomorphized glob of fossil fuel has to say about environmental policy?

I mean, doesn’t he – or she, let’s not be sexist here – have a bit of a vested interest in ensuring that you keep forking out the cash to fill your tank with members of its extended family? Not to mention the annoyance value that attaches to even the most clever commercials.

My guess: after the fifth or sixth time that a driver has been assailed by the chirpy “Yoo hoo,” the reaction is not going to be, “My goodness! What will that diabolical Stephane Dion do next?” but something along the lines of, “Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up!”

There is also some confusion – at least, I’m confused – over the advertising company the Tories are using to buy the ads.

First, here’s what Conservative spokesperson Ryan Sparrow told CanWest News yesterday:

However, a spokesman for the Conservative Party, Ryan Sparrow, said a number of gas stations have committed to running the ads purchased by the Tories through an advertising company called fuelcast.com, although he couldn’t give a specific number

But when contacted by ITQ this morning, Fuelcast Network spokesperson Tony Herunter denied that his company was involved with the ad buy:

There appears to be some misunderstanding regarding the issue of the Conservative Party advertising their carbon tax ads on Fuelcast Network. Please be informed that this campaign will not air on Fuelcast Network. I trust that this clarifies this issue.

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