Please do not mistake us for good people

After a few weeks of surging COVID numbers and increasing public outcry, New Orleans and Co. has finally decided to pull a tone deaf ad campaign it has been running since this spring that invite people from all over the country to come into the viral hot zone where they can contract and/or spread more COVID. 

But just in case anyone is confused as to the purpose of this decision, in case anyone might happen to think that it might be motivated by an actual concern for the public health, NO and Co has issued the following statement. 

“National polls told us that traveler sentiment is decreasing and some people are reluctant to travel due to delta all over the country,” Shultz said. “So we made a strategic decision to pause advertising so that we are getting the best return on every dollar invested. Also the shift was made because we were not planning to advertise in October, when the city was scheduled to be full with Jazz Fest and other events, but now we need to work to drive October visitation.”

New Orleans & Co. also recently announced that a multimillion-dollar campaign targeted at conventions and business travelers is in the works. 

The Lens asked Schulz if New Orleans & Company’s decision to pause the campaign was just based on reserving advertising dollars for October, or whether the agency was also concerned about the potential that tourists, particularly unvaccinated tourists, could increase the spread of the virus in the New Orleans area.

“It is not accurate to report that our decision was based on tourists coming from areas of the country with low vaccination rates,” she said. “It was paused because of the low vaccination rates here in Louisiana and the spike of local infections. And to ensure that we get the best value on every advertising dollar.”

"It's not accurate to report" that this privatized agency feels any responsibility to preserve or promote the health of the community from which it takes public money.  It is only thinking in terms of what makes the most business sense to its clients.