Which is the greater evil – higher TTC fares, or TTC-endorsed extramarital affairs?

For the folks at AshleyMadison.com – a controversial website that helps married people cheat – it would be the first scenario. According to CEO Noel Biderman, however, TTC staff would rather lose out on his site's advertising dollars and are now backpedalling on a deal that would let the company promote itself on city streetcars.

"They're making moral judgments and that's not the role of the TTC," Biderman said Thursday, shortly after learning TTC staff had decided against recommending his ad campaign. "They're basically saying `We don't like your business and so we're not going to let your business advertise.'"

As far as Biderman is concerned, the TTC had given him the green light on the $250,000 deal, which would see six city streetcars wrapped in his signature slogan: "Life is short. Have an affair."

The plan, Biderman said, is to roll out the text-only ads in January, with possible future ads placed on buses.

He said he's been dealing with CBS Outdoor – a company contracted to secure advertising for the TTC – who sent him an email Wednesday acknowledging the TTC's approval of the ads. CBS Outdoor also sent a contract to Ashley Madison, as well as subsequent emails clarifying the ads had been signed off by the ad review committee.

But TTC spokesman Brad Ross said Thursday the ads had yet to clear the transit commission's review committee, which ultimately gets the final say.

Calling it a matter of "taste," he said TTC staff was not recommending the ads.

"We don't feel it is appropriate for a streetcar to be running around on the streets of Toronto advocating that people have affairs," Ross said.

Labels: adultery, Canada, culture

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