We're All Half-wits, Eh?

The Bell Canada beavers Frank and Gordon have been around for a while now. I remember when they first came out, I found them uncouth and unfunny. Evidently, not much has changed. For the life of me I can't understand why Bell would use these CG nightmares as their mascots. Bell is a Canadian company and thus I suppose it makes sense they would use a Canadian symbol - the beaver - as the basis of their campaign. They are using our Canadian heritage to single us out. More than that they are reflecting their customers in these beavers. There's just one problem with that. Frank and Gordon are not the "happy hosiers" I believe was intended. It's been brought up in conversations that only a slow-witted, unimaginative marketeer would choose a bald eagle as an American company's mascot, especially when the character is so slow. Frank and Gordon are caricatures of the lowest common denominator of Canadians. If I didn't know any better I would think that they asked a non-Canadian to portray Canadians in these characters. In my opinion they border on offensive. What's worse, they aren't funny. I've been watching this campaign since it came out and not once have I seen an ad in any medium (be in TV commercials, mailers, bus shelter ads, whatever) that has made me so much as smirk. Bell, if you didn't have such a hold on the market, I have a feeling you'd be in deep trouble.

I was tempted to cancel my service just so I wouldn't have to see the dully grinning beaver in the mailer packaged with my bill every month.