Innisfil’s Fair Growth campaign did what Toronto-area brand strategist Blair Minnes wanted it to do: it got people talking about the boundary issue.

With Aurora-based Larter Advertising, Minnes was the mind behind the fairgrowth tag-line and the content of the radio ads that directed people to find out more on www.fairgrowth.ca.

“The objective was to motivate public opinion. What Innisfil wanted to do was bring the issue to the attention of the general public. Of course, they had their own position, and they gave it to you on their website,” Minnes said in an interview.

“They wanted to use media to bring the issue to residents of Innisfil, Barrie and Simcoe County. The decision was to use radio, because it was targeted.”

Radio ads began May 11; the campaign later expanded to the A Channel.
Minnes said he did not know the cost of the media campaign.

The effort also included a town-programmed and hosted website, as well as a Queen’s Park demonstration organized by the Innisfil Chamber of Commerce.

He suspected the campaign sped up resolution of the issue; last Thursday, Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson intervened, as he introduced legislation to resolve the ongoing dispute.
Several television ads slated to run last Friday were pulled after that announcement.

“(The campaign) was killed. We had three or four spots left to run last Friday knowing there was an impending decision. What I can’t tell you is what the next step is,” he said. “We’re waiting to hear from the folks in Innisfil.”