Democracy may be sexy, but ads can't be

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 | 6:58 PM ET

CBC News

Racy ads designed to convince more young people to vote have been banned from some Edmonton bars, restaurants and post-secondary institutions.

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The group Democracy is Sexy wanted to put the ads in the University of Alberta pubs and a number of hangouts frequented by younger Edmontonians.

One of the ads depicted a naked woman holding a strategically placed apple with the tag line: "Chew on this. Vote on Jan. 23."

Democracy is Sexy spokesman Alistair King says that ad, and others in the series, got a negative reaction.

"The general reaction was they couldn't post them," King said, calling the tone of the ads "slight innuendo."

The university rejected the ads, as did a number of bars and restaurants. Two bars are allowing them to post the ads, King said.

"What we were trying to accomplish was to cut through the clutter. We wanted to target people who are young and not interested in politics and we thought the best way to do that would be to use ideas and images that would shock them and get through that clutter," he said.

He said he planned to buy ad space in places where only adults would have seen the posters.

Democracy is Sexy is now looking at other ways to raise its profile, including an all-candidates forum involving some of the younger candidates running in this election.