Shhh! Don't say the 'A' word
IT'S a four-letter word that's got one Mackay resident so riled up she's written to the Premier.
Ailsa Boyden, of Farleigh, has written a letter to Campbell Newman, the Daily Mercury and local Members of Parliament calling for the word 'arse' to be removed from a Caneland Central store's publicly displayed coffee menu.
The store, Pie Face, uses the term 'Kick my arse!!!' to refer to its strongest coffee blend.
Ms Boyden said she was concerned because the sign was low to the ground and could easily be seen by children.
"(I) consider it time to draw a line in the sand as regards (to) offensive language, whether it be the spoken or written word," Ms Boyden said.
"And this wording is totally unacceptable for general viewing."
In her letter, Ms Boyden asks the government to step in and change legislation which allows the word to be used in advertising.
"It is my hope that the LNP State Government takes this complaint seriously and leads by example by stamping out this type of advertising," Ms Boyden wrote.
Ms Boyden has made a stand on controversial issues before and is a fierce anti-fluoridation campaigner.
Yesterday the Premier's office responded to the letter and said while the Premier did not support the use of offensive language, it was beyond his powers to do anything about it.
Head of Pie Face marketing Ben MacPherson said while he understood some people might be offended by the word, it was all part of the company's branding not to take itself too seriously.
"We're not trying to dumb our brand or offer down so it appeals to everyone," Mr MacPherson said.
"We want people to have a bit of fun with their eating experience; it's part of what makes us unique.
"'Kick my arse' coffee is something we personally love and are really proud of."
Caneland Central manager Phillip Martin declined to comment on the controversy; however, he indicated the shopping centre would not be taking any steps towards changing the sign.
