Backpacker chain announces winner of controversial photo contest
"Show us your Beaver" title attracts thousands, annoys a few
VANCOUVER, May 3 /CNW/ - SameSun Backpacker Lodges - a budget accommodation company based in Western Canada - just announced the winner of their "Show us your beaver and fly the world for free" photo contest, a contest that rewards the winner a flight anywhere in the world simply by posing in any picture that includes their cartoon Beaver logo.
Adam Granger from Booti Booti, Australia, took 1st place in the contest with a photo that was shot moments after emerging from an icy Rocky Mountain lake. "I had seen the contest and wanted to submit something, but didn't know where to take the shot. After a sub-zero lake jump near Banff I felt that this was as vintage Canadian as it gets and had a friend take the shot." Adam plans on flying to Zanzibar with the prize money.
But not everybody was thrilled with the contest's title or message. Mark Stope, a member of Values Vancouver, felt the message portrayed too much sexuality. "I don't think it's appropriate to be blasting 'Beaver innuendo's' around cyberspace. Add in the fact that a lot of the photos parlayed a sexual theme and you have a contest that is simply over the top."
SameSun President Craig Kelley doesn't share opponents' concerns, however. "It's a Canadian play on words and our in-house lounges are named 'The Beaver'. The title was to get people's attention and for the vast majority of our international guests, they loved the name and embraced the contest. We had hundreds of photo submissions from all over the world with thousands of views. It was all in good fun and I really don't care what local naysayers have to say about it."
Kelley suggested there is another contest on the horizon but wouldn't say when.
SameSun Backpacker Lodges is Canada's largest backpacker company and operates budget accommodation facilities in Vancouver, Kelowna, Banff, Revelstoke, and Silver Star. The photo contest was facilitated and administered by ninepointten marketing out of Vancouver , B.C.
/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/
For further information: Craig Kelley, Cell: (604) 290-7673, [email protected]
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