A truck with the message GO HOME IRISH plastered on the side has caused quite a stir in Toronto, where it has been driving around for the past couple of weeks.
The offensive message is actually a PR stunt by an Irish advertising company, who want emigrants to return home to work.
The truck also displays a web address, pleaseleavecanada.com, which redirects to The Social House website and a post encouraging Irish people to return.
The post has the headline: “We’re hiring. You’re homesick. Come back to Dublin and everybody wins!” It then begins: “We want you to come home. Not as much as your mum, but still.”
The campaign has divided opinion. Many Toronto locals are angry that the truck may be mistakenly thought to be genuine, giving the city a bad name around the world.
One person posted on Twitter: “Not sure about that #GoHomeIrish Toronto ad campaign from Social House. People often don’t read the back story to ads”
Another said: “I’ve been here a year now and the Canadian people have been more than accommodating. I do not need this from my own people.”
On the other hand, many have praised The Social House for the creativity in the attention grabbing campaign.
One Twitter user said: “#GoHomeIrish – Psychological marketing at its best! @paddypower would be proud of that one!”
Another posted: “Nice work from the gang at @thesocialhome, such a clever idea and an instant conversation starter! #GoHomeIrish”
Whichever way you view the campaign, it has certainly created a lot of discussion and the debate is likely to continue.
