Not Just Traitors, .CA now compares .Com Users To Sex Offenders

[MapleDots]

The .CA Authority has “gone negative” in their promotion to encourage registration of .CA names for Canadian residents and businesses. While the first set of ads encouraged patriotism and logic (Showing stats Canadians prefer .ca); now its full-on guilt and shaming. Using a term from Political campaigning where a candidate attacks their rivals, this is called “going negative”.

https://dn.biz/blog/2019/12/16/not-just-traitors-ca-now-compares-com-users-to-sex-offenders/

 

[MapleDots]

Seriously???

I've seen a few news organizations pick this up and they are twisting the campaign to the ninth degree. It is a humorous campaign made to make us laugh.

I mean, have they watched the commercials at all? They are like a saturday night live skid.

Just goes to show how things can easily be twisted by the media.

I will look to see if I can post the commercial.

 

[MapleDots]

Fun campaign
https://cira.ca/newsroom/ca-domains...dians-choose-ca-first-ever-broadcast-campaign

 

[MapleDots]

The FUN video

 

[mr-x]

....

I will look to see if I can post the commercial.

 

[MapleDots]

How the hell could anyone interpret the commercial to be anything but funny.

Are we living in a world of morons?

 

[Internet.Domains]

Politics brings out the worst. Marketing should learn from what politics has done to society most recently, and should focus on attributes and not "go negative."

We have already seen the "going negative" in the domain industry when Donuts tried to pull the "non-com" comparison instead of sticking to their own attributes. How has that worked out for them?

 

[mr-x]

How the hell could anyone interpret the commercial to be anything but funny.

Are we living in a world of morons?

we're not the ones wearing shorts in .CA, eh

 

[mr-x]

Pouring maple syrup on a keyboard was probably the best.

 

[Internet.Domains]

How the hell could anyone interpret the commercial to be anything but funny.

Are we living in a world of morons?

It is funny, just not effective.

 

[DomainRecap]

With an IT-firing Porn King President at the CIRA, it's not hard to see the connection:

Internet agency discovers explicit photos on president’s computer — fires IT staff, keeps president

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada...-computer-fires-it-staff-keeps-president.html

 

[7363824]

How the hell could anyone interpret the commercial to be anything but funny.

Are we living in a world of morons?

I for one think the commercial is funny and I'm not even Canadian. And if you think otherwise I have just one thing to say....*screams* What is wrong with you?....lamo. that said the title "Are you a registered .com offender?" Maybe could have been worded differently. But come on I think the intent was clearly not to make that comparison, classic overreaction.

 

[Spex]

How the hell could anyone interpret the commercial to be anything but funny.

Are we living in a world of morons?

Society is losing it's sense of humour. Plus, it only take like 3 angry tweeters to ruin everything

 

[Bernard Wright]

Pouring maple syrup on a keyboard was probably the best.

That was my least favorite part. I don’t like to see messages condoning such behavior. I wouldn’t want this to happen to my laptop. I don’t think it’s funny at all. It’s disrespectful and it lacks class. I know this sort of humor is common these days. So I read books.

 

[branding]

Are we living in a world of morons?

No... just in a world full of Americans

 

[7363824]

No... just in a world full of Americans

too far

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I actually don't like the ads that much. I think that promoting the positive things of .ca would be great (high respect among Canadians, excellent lack of abuse characteristics, restricted to those with Canadian presence which while debated among domainers is I think a positive for consumer trust), but don't portray it as a .ca vs .com.

I like funny, but well, these come across as rather dumb to me. If you really want to go funny, not these skits but hire a skilled comedian like Rick Mercer to do a rant about being proud to be Canadian and proud to be on .ca and if we don't do it we all lose. Have no idea whether he would, but I bet one of our many skilled comedians would. Or if not get some respected Canadian musician, sports figure, etc. Maybe tie it in to the CIRA charitable program to support worthwhile groups getting online.

Go positive. Those of us who don't like them should tell CIRA.

Luckily as far as I know the ads do not air in BC!

Bob

 

[DomainRecap]

I actually don't like the ads that much. I think that promoting the positive things of .ca would be great (high respect among Canadians, excellent lack of abuse characteristics, restricted to those with Canadian presence which while debated among domainers is I think a positive for consumer trust), but don't portray it as a .ca vs .com.

I totally agree and find these ads to be near-useless in terms of their intended result, which is to increase awareness and sales of .CA. They are really not funny (some of those .CA stock photos are WAY better) and in some ways comes off as desperate, like the CIRA is deathly afraid of .COM.

I like funny, but well, these come across as rather dumb to me. If you really want to go funny, not these skits but hire a skilled comedian like Rick Mercer

Again, my thoughts exactly, and I would rather see them go out there on the humor rather than tired & stale "G'day eh? stuff that was old when Bob & Doug did it.

I'd probably get the commercial banned, but I'd like to see something edgy like a girl who's already typed:

"Is Shawn Mendes g...." then finish with ".. oing to play Toronto?"

 

[mr-x]

People are overthinking this; just lame marketing. Won't know if it's effective until it's over.

 

[mr-x]

too far

Just having fun.

 

[Ategy]

lol .. I think the video is great .. although not entirely accurate as in Canada I think the first and better choice is still .com and the only true reason to get a .ca is either:

1- The .com is taken.
2- You're a multinational and need a specific and separate website for exclusive use within Canada.

That being said .. #1 does account for a lot of businesses, so there's definitely a place for .ca

 

[DomainRecap]

Actually, the main reason to get the .CA is because you operate entirely or mostly within Canada, as you get a search bonus for local results and a company on a .CA is required to have a local presence, so it automatically gets a credibility bump.

A secondary reason is for Canadian multinationals using the .COM to protect their .CA presence + brand.

There is also the benefit of being able to purchase a short & premium .CA for your company rather than settling for a huge, ugly-ass .COM that would sprain your thumb typing it into your phone. The price difference is massive for single-words and LLL domains, and that is a definite consideration in today's business environment.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I agree 100% with what @DomainRecap just said. If I was advising a business that planned to always operate only in Canada I would definitely recommend the .ca. Better trust among Canadians, far better name for same price. Yes, if any possibility of global expansion down road, securing a good .com makes sense. For many Canadian businesses that is not on radar.

If CIRA really wanted an ad that would resonate among Canadians, they could simply have pointed out that it is the US Department of Commerce that ultimately sign the contract with respect to .com. CIRA is in effect managed by the Canadians who use the extension. I think a lot of users of domains in Canada don't realize that. Simply ask the question who controls your domain name?

Bob

PS Edit -- that said I think ads that accentuate the positive are always best. There are many good things about .ca, especially how it is accepted by Canadians. Simply say that sincerely. These ads are so silly they actually somewhat shake my faith in CIRA, even though overall I like the way .ca is managed (more than the majority of the world's TLDs of all types)

 

[Recons.Com]

Not funny, imo.

Also ad directed at damaging the business of small business owners using .com in Canada cannot be funny by definition.

 

[branding]

too far

No... just in a world full of Canadians

Noted. Corrected that for you ^