Actually the intent of the commercial is to break the “lumberjack” stereotype and to promote a younger work force with long term career goals. I don’t even work in the industry (although I worked for Canfor at one time) and picked up the intent of the commercial right away.. Was actually surprised to see a Canfor commercial.

Now where can I find a plaid hard hat.?!!

Wow Ben, a wee bit sensitive? You’re not the demographic it’s aimed at.

Ben, hate to say it, but the commercial you may not like is definitely NOT targeting your generation as an audience. And as an employee of Canfor, and talking about the commercial with MANY other Canfor employee’s, we find it quite good humored and well targeted for the generation of people who will be working for Canfor for a long time to come. So I doubt any heads will roll from the marketing / HR department because a bunch of Baby Boomers find the commercial condescending.

Take a chill pill Bill. Take the commercial for what it is, poking fun at a stereotype, but at the same time, trying to raise awareness for a career that is getting overlooked by young people.

That was a great commercial! Obviously not aimed at our local curmudgeon(s)! :)

My kids thought the ad was funny but didn’t get the point

Any one have a link to the debated commercial???
I have not seen down here in the south.
Thanks – NNA

Search “Canfor Commercial” on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chqHAiBlyoM

I agree with Ben. When I saw this commercial I was startled. I couldn’t believe that Canfor would allow such horse s..t to be put on the air. It immediately took away from the good image that Canfor has through out the Province and around the world.

Canfor is a forward looking company, good employer, and has (to some degree) a social conscience. They really don’t need this type of advertising.

If they must advertise on TV, then at least they should tell it the way it is, and get on with business, and forget, this kind of crap.

I agree with Ben. It’s a really stupid commercial.

Just had to see for myself. The one word that came to mind “retarded”. Hope Canfor never spent a lots of money on that commercial. Would have made a stronger statement showing the diversity of wood from structural to the softness of toilet paper.

I just watched it and thought it was hilarious. I am gen X though. I know my 20 year old might miss the references but my dad and grandpa wore outfits like that throughout my youth, my husband wore a golf shirt.

But didn’t it work? To some it may have a poor underlying message, but, people are talking about it and sharing the link for others to view it and the company, isn’t that the idea of a commercial?

You don’t need to hunt for the TV ad on YouTube, just go to their website. It’s front and centre on the CANFOR home page.

Thanks for the link axman.
Found it and have to say as a retired Canfor employee I am not impressed.

All the work done by Canadians over the years to kill this stereotype image of forest workers is being undone.

Sort of like the manager Canfor had a few years back in the Northern division. He was fired a few years after making the statements, but they kept him around way too long.

He made the statement that retired employees were costing the company too much money because they lived too long… Then he tried to see what could be done to cut off health and welfare benefits to widows and orphans because the “employee” was dead….

(I was there and I heard it so it is not rumor)

Instead of the voice over announcer.

They should have used the Monty Python ” Lumberjack Song “.

Sort of reminds you of a circus ad ” bearded woman and mermaids ”

One thing for sure I would not work in that chemical laboratory.

I may mutate into a mermaid…..

So are all Canfor employees getting the classic lumberjack apparel.

For a Christmas bonus or safety award.

Or is this the new Canfor uniform 8)

Pylot Project; It’s to bad they never hired PeeWee Herman to make the commercial.

Notice that most of the people who are unhappy with this commercial are in the ‘older demographic’. As mentioned, the commercial is not targetted to them.

Yeah I gues your right J.B. this is the results of parents who allowed there children to watch the tella tubbies.

Wow talk about overreacting and missing the point. I don’t think it’s a particular brilliant, or original ad (it’s just a blatant copy of the whole “Old Spice” type of quirky, nonsensically ironic ads with cheesy voice-overs that have become so popular the last couple of years. Not cutting edge creative, but it’s hardly calling everyone in rural BC a bunch of hicks. Definitely missed the point Ben.

I think if they were going to mock the rustic nature of working in the forest industry they could have gone with a couple of hosers doing the voice over eh’.

If the commercial shows anything, it’s that many northerners don’t have a sense of humour. Maybe that’s our sterorotype.

Stay classy, maverick.

Are you sterorotyping J.B.?

Sorry to disappoint but the stereotype of the plaid shirted lumberjack is alive and well.

IMO the ad looks stupid but it got my attention and by the sounds of it, a lot of other people’s attention as well, so as far as advertising goes, it’s a great ad.

I will gladly admit that I am not in the demographic that this ad is aimed at but my granddaughter is and her response to the ad was “do I need a beard to apply or are they telling me that I will grow one after I get hired?” Yes we are talking about it but I am assuming the aim of the ad is to encourage more people to apply for a job at Canfor. Hmmm time will tell if this ad will work. Because I am old I just don’t get the mermaid in the office – maybe the hiring pitch is a fairy tale.

Test

I thought the commercial was humourous, but what struck me was the confirmation that the forest industry is in bad shape as far as attracting new employees. I heard the radio ad for Canfor, that was a first. Now they are on a tv marketing campaign to try to get people to look at them as a viable option for employment, another first. I can’t speak to the pulpmills but I do know this, Canfor & others (including the unions) in the solid wood business need to get out of the 1950’s mindset.

oneup: “I will gladly admit that I am not in the demographic that this ad is aimed at but my granddaughter is and her response to the ad was “do I need a beard to apply or are they telling me that I will grow one after I get hired?”

I’m assuming your granddaughter is quite young. This would be a good time to teach her not to take everything she sees on TV so literally.

The comemrcial is obviously meant to be a parody and light hearted and it’s too bad that some people completely miss the point, which is to get young people to consider Canfor for employment.

“can’t speak to the pulpmills but I do know this, Canfor & others (including the unions) in the solid wood business need to get out of the 1950’s mindset.” I should have added “if they want to attract new & younger workers.” Multitasking is a myth :)

Watched it on YouTube and I don’t get what all the fuss is about.

IMHO, the commercial was an attempt by Canfor to tell people about the diversity of careers that they can offer, while at the same time, using humour to obviously and directly discredit the stereotypes that people may have about working in the forestry industry.

I’d hazard a guess that it was primarily intended for 20-30 year olds looking to start their careers and whom had never thought that forestry would be a viable option. I don’t think there is anything wrong with their approach. It’s obvious that traditional approaches aren’t working, otherwise they wouldn’t have tried this.

Honestly folks, if you are worried about people getting a bad feel for PG and the north, pay attention to O250. Some of the comments on some of the stories on here will leave people with a more sour taste than this add ever would.

Haha….just watched it. When I was younger, many of us wore the checkered coats. We all referred to them as “PG dinner jackets”. I found the commercial to be amusing.

The point of any commercial or advertisement is to get your attention. Does Canfor’s commercial do this………….you bet it does.

As usual we have those in favour and those against.

I still say that the commercial is in poor taste, does nothing to enhance the image of Canfor, and is basically a waste of money.

Furthermore. If you want to apply for a job at Canfor, you cannot drop off an application at any of the mills. They now require you to apply on line. Again this is to save them a few paltry dollars, instead of treating applicants as serious job seekers.

So will the add get more people applying for positions in Canfor, especially on line?? Who knows.

My guess is that Don Kayne has probably realized that this commercial is a bust, and it will disappear from the air before weeks end.

Seriously Ben?
Does Don Kayne care what you think about Canfor`s commercial?.I think the head is far too swollen!
I have worked at Canfor for many many years and when a group of us watched the ad we thought it was hilarious.You and many others that have commented need to stop being so negative and worry about real issues! (Don`t sweat the petty things,pet the sweaty things!)

“Furthermore. If you want to apply for a job at Canfor, you cannot drop off an application at any of the mills. They now require you to apply on line. Again this is to save them a few paltry dollars, instead of treating applicants as serious job seekers.”

Still shaking my head over this one! The 1970`s are over Palopu, every modern company nowadays uses on-line applications.It is much more efficient and certainly does not save a “few paltry dollars”,in fact probably cost more with the required IT support. It provides quicker access to many more job seekers,no matter where they live.
Are you still writing letters and snail-mailing them?

I’ve been in the advertising industry for 30+ years, and I think this TV ad is brilliant. It’s directly targeting the audience that they want to apply for positions at CANFOR. They’re not looking for old goats to apply (that includes me), they want fresh young talent and don’t want to come across as a stuffy & stiff company to work for.

Well done CANFOR. Thankfully you didn’t use the Trivago guy. :D

Ben… “The ‘editor’ doth protest too much, methinks”

If you think that a **goofy** TV ad will get people to apply for a job then that’s your opinion. I don’t think it will work. The ad’s could have and probably should have outlined what the company has to offer in a sane and understandable manner. I suspect this ad slipped through the cracks, and someone is going to get s..t,.

Fuceneh. I know what every so called modern company uses on line applications, and what is does is it allows them to toss out most without so much as an interview. Furthermore it allows them to discriminate if they so chose.

These so called modern companies are the one’s who pay slave wages in other parts of the world. Give you a 1 800 number for service, and generally screw you over for a dollar.

It was hard working, boots on the ground people who built this Country, and it is now run by a people who at best know how to type on a keyboard, and comment on things that they have very little knowledge about. These are the people who think that the WalMart way of marketing and selling products is great.

When you see people shopping for food in a dollar store you should get a hint that maybe things are not all that great in this Country.

Maybe apply at canfor then shop at stupid store.

Loved the commercial