Controversial ad in downtown store
Advertisement seems to promote the use of drugs
11/14/11
The reindeer culprit in question at Steve Johns Shoes LTD. Photo by AM 1150 Radio
A shop named Steve Johns Shoes Limited has displayed a controversial Christmas advertisement in which a reindeer appears to be taking drugs in the form of white powder. This has sparked a dispute in the city about whether the advertisement is promoting drugs. The store is located on Bernard Avenue with storefront windows saying “ho ho ho, let it blow.” In addition to the white powder on the table, there also appears to be a razor blade as well as a rolled up dollar bill.
In the interior, a Christmas tree is decorated with bags of white powder on its branches. Residents in the city have been infuriated and have stated that it is very inappropriate. When Paul Barrett, a pedestrian walking down Bernard Avenue saw the store’s advertisement, he took pictures of the display. “It was kind of appalling,” Barrett said. “It was basically set up with what looks like cocaine hanging from baggies in a Christmas tree,” said Paul. “Other than the Christmas tree, it has got nothing to do with Christmas. I looked for signs to see if maybe it had some kind of message against drugs and I did not see that. It was more for drugs and about how you do these drugs and I was quite appalled, I do not know what it is advertising but it is certainly not advertising shoes, there are kids that are walking by this. It is a very low window. It is saying basically, this is what you need to do cocaine,” Paul continued.
When CHBC News asked the shop’s employee where the owner was, they learned that Steve Johns is currently in Mexico. The employee named Maryanne Litzenberger, said that even though the reindeer advertisement was appalling, it is possible that Steve Johns was going for the shock factor. “It is supposed to be a shock, I guess that is what he was after and that is what he got: it is shocking. It is awful,” said Litzenberger. After learning that the display created controversy, the employee took the ad down. However, the woman did not answer whether the ad was indeed promoting the use of drugs or not.
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