Beer billboard mocks Toronto

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The Coors Light marketing department says it's sorry if British Columbia billboards mocking Toronto are offensive to Canada's largest city and beer market.

The billboard features a picture of a can of the beer with the slogan "Colder Than Most People From Toronto," the Toronto Star's western bureau reported from Vancouver.

The billboard caught the eye of tourist Kathryn Morton, who was born in British Columbia but now lives northwest of Toronto. She said her 16-year-old son spotted the billboard and found it offensive.

"He realized the political incorrectness of it," she said. "What bothered us was we saw the Olympic logo on the billboard. This isn't a great way to bring in people to the province."

Culturally throughout Canada, Toronto is dubbed "the city everyone loves to hate," but Morton said such a public display was unsettling.

"That's pretty insulting to such a large group of people," she said. "We hear stuff about Toronto people all the time but we couldn't believe anyone would put it on a billboard."

Coors Light brand marketing manager Adam Moffat told the Star there have been previous complaints.

"What we've told consumers is we're sorry and apologetic if we've offended anyone," he said.