Florida Ads Scrap Promise of 'Clear' Coasts

State has to retool pitch to tourists
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 5, 2010 3:24 PM CDT
Florida Ads Scrap Promise of 'Clear' Coasts
Crews clean up tar along Pensacola Beach Fla., Saturday, June 5, 2010.   (AP Photo/Michael Spooneybarger)

Up until this week, the state of Florida tried to lure tourists with ads that promised pristine beaches under a logo of "Our Coast is Clear." Then the tarballs came. The state has scrapped the logo and retooled the message to something along the lines of: We have so many beaches that the oil can't possibly hit 'em all. Or as the ads put it: "There are plenty of places in Florida where you can enjoy crystal clear waters," reports the Palm Beach Post.

"The first iteration of our ads was showing our beautiful beaches and our gorgeous water," says a manager. "Now, we just took away the promise that everywhere is clean and clear and open for business." The ads also direct people to VisitFlorida.com for beachcams and updates on "what's happening in the gulf," though the newspaper notes they never mention the word oil. One bright spot: BP is footing the bill for the $7.15 million campaign. (More Gulf oil spill stories.)

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