K97's 'Rain' Billboards Produce Deluge Of Complaints

Who You Gonna Believe, Them Or Your Own Eyes?

NEWCAP Classic Rock CIRK (K97)/EDMONTON got into a little hot water with its current "Pray For More Rain" billboard campaign that touted its TERRY BILL AND STEVE morning show, as the ADVERTISING STANDARDS CANADA (ASC) asserted that it contravenes advertising codes. The billboards depict a well-endowed woman, shot from the chin down to somewhere above her navel, wearing a tight white sweater -- and the slogan "Pray For More Rain."

Apparently, more than a few people, who seem to want less rain, complained to the ASC, which reviewed the billboards and ordered the following edict: "It was totally gratuitous and served only to objectify women for the advertiser to focus on a woman’s breasts in an advertisement for a radio morning show that had no connection to women’s sexuality. COUNCIL, therefore, found that this advertisement demeaned and denigrated women and encouraged, gratuitously and without merit, attitudes that offended standards of decency among a significant segment of the population, thereby contravening Clauses 14 (c) and (d).”

"It was not our intent to contravene any advertising codes," says PD JAMES "GRUFF" GUSHNOWSKI.  "We try and be humorous and tongue-in-cheek in our advertising campaigns, however after reviewing the ruling, we agree and respect the decision of the ASC.  We apologize for any offense taken by the billboard campaign."

K97 will be removing the billboards immediately.

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