Aren’t you in awe of this ad from the Boater Exam people? I found it the other day when looking at the 2014 Ontario Fishing Regulations handbook.

Young, strong cop in shades who is a foot taller than the obviously guilty senior boater. It’s a good thing he just wrote him a ticket and didn’t punch him out. Check out the body language. Check out the gun on “the man’s” hip.

Wow – don’t take the course to learn anything, or become a safer and more courteous boater, take it to avoid being put in this type of situation. And with the recent reports of police abuses it becomes even more intimidating. At least they didn’t dress this ‘cop’ in a brown shirt.

Carrot or stick? The Boater Exam people seem to think the threat of the stick works much better. We don’t offer education, we offer protection. This is using Freudian intimidation in advertising at its best. Or is it at its worst?

JB – Communications Officer