BC Ferries #NameAFerry campaign descends into 'Queen of Delays' namecalling
Social media campaign evokes some not-so-useful suggestions on Facebook and Twitter
BC Ferries' #NameAFerry social media campaign, inviting the public to name three new intermediate class ferries, has backfired, after mocking Facebook and Twitter users hijacked the hashtag.
In a news release, BC Ferries had said, "Naming the new ferries provides an exciting opportunity for B.C. residents and BC Ferries' employees to celebrate the beauty of coastal British Columbia by submitting their best vessel names."
But instead, the #NameAFerry campaign descended into name calling, as social media users took it as an opportunity to poke fun at the oft-criticized company.
<a href="https://twitter.com/BCFerries">@BCFerries</a> How about...The SS Overpriced
—@BigNasty604. <a href="https://twitter.com/BCFerries">@BCFerries</a> The Queen of Taking Island Communities' Economies Hostage Through Arbitrary Rate Increases?
—@jordanstratford<a href="https://twitter.com/BCFerries">@BCFerries</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NameAFerry?src=hash">#NameAFerry</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HighFeesOnTheHighSeas?src=hash">#HighFeesOnTheHighSeas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BCFerrys">@BCFerrys</a>
—@aidanrocheOn Facebook, commenters proposed names like "Gouged, Fleeced, Hosed" or "Queen of Delays."
Others suggested "The Spirit of rip the people off" or "Broke, overcharged, crappy."
Joel Urnill left a Facebook comment suggesting the entire naming campaign should be scrapped, "I think its best to outsource the name calling of the ship since it was made overseas anyways."
Deborah Marshall of BC Ferries responded to the criticism, telling CBC News "people are having fun on social [media] and we get it."
Marshall said she's still optimistic the company will get "thousands of great suggestions" out of the campaign.