Canada’s anti-tariff billboards in the U.S. go viral — but is anyone swayed?

Earlier this week, an unusual billboard attracted Tom Smith to work at Emory University in Atlanta.

The billboard is paid by the Canadian government and tells Americans in bold letters that “the tariffs are taxed on your grocery bill.”

“I think it’s new,” said Smith, an economics professor. “I taught this literally in class that tariffs are a tax that will raise prices at home.”

When asked if he thought the information was valid, Smith said it was in the air.

“I don’t know if that will change people’s minds,” he said. “The resistance to information is so widespread, so to speak.”

But, he added: “If one of the incentives is to get people talking about tariffs, that’s definitely achieved.”

The federal government launched an anti-promotion campaign on billboards in 12 most Republican voting states and Washington, D.C., which included “Tariffs are taxes for gas pumps” and “Tariffs are taxes for hard-working Americans.”

Although the jury is still on the validity of the campaign, it is certainly spread.

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Although these signs have only started to appear in the past few days, many U.S. media have introduced the story with compelling headlines, such as “U.S. tariffs on Canada’s provocative billboards against Florida.”

A reddit post So far, the Buckeyes billboards in Arizona have received votes from 13,000 readers and over 500 comments.

John Babcock, spokesman for the Canadian Global Affairs Corporation, said in an email to CBC News that Ottawa launched a campaign “to inform Americans about the economic impact.”

The tariffs he referred to include 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and threatened broad tariffs on other Canadian goods, including automobiles and auto parts, that will take effect on Wednesday.

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

Is the billboard fun?

The billboard movement opposes Trump’s ubiquitous messaging, which imposes tariffs on goods imported from other countries, will force companies to build factories in the United States, create more jobs and strengthen the economy.

There seems to be a malfunction in the movement. Kelly Jessop said on his way to work at a hospital near Columbus, Georgia that he found a person who said “tariffs are taxes” in English, but the rest of the information was in French.

“I just think it’s interesting,” he said. “No one speaks French in southern Georgia. … So, that’s totally lost to most people in the area.”

CBC News didn’t immediately hear echoes of global affairs on the bilingual billboard.

Chris Ervin also thinks the billboard he saw this week in New Port Richey, Florida, is interesting — but for different reasons. The message is: “Tariffs are taxes on your grocery bill.”

Ervin firmly supports Trump’s tariffs and believes the Canadian government is wasting money in Florida.

“It’s Trump territory. Most people here love what he’s doing,” he said.

When CBC News suggested that U.S. companies were forced to pay a 25% tariff on imports that could cost U.S. shoppers, Elvin responded that he could avoid price increases by buying household products at supermarkets.

“Look at all the brands we can buy,” he said. “I won’t buy Canadian whiskey. I will end up buying something made in the United States.”

Choose your words carefully

Economist Moshe Lander said Ervin’s argument highlights the news from the Canadian government that tariffs are taxes on food.

“American consumers won’t buy a lot of groceries from Canada. And the groceries they buy from Canada, they should easily find alternatives,” said Lander, senior lecturer at Concordia University in Montreal.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney called their first call “very productive” and “kind” but when Trump avoided calling Canada the 51st state, he did warn that automatic tariffs would start as planned next week.

But Americans who buy only American food may still see indirect price increases due to tariffs imposed on imports affecting food producers, such as Trump threatening 10% tariffs on Canadian oil and gas exports.

Moshe said the billboard warns that tariffs are taxes for gas pump packaging, as most of Alberta’s oil was sent to U.S. refineries set up to handle Canadian crude and there is no simple replacement.

“The only one [other country] He said.

Regardless of messaging, it is still questionable whether billboards will bring a lot of swing.

“The Canadian government wants to get rid of such a campaign?” Evan said.

“I can’t imagine anyone in Florida paying attention to these things.”

Global affairs do not provide fees for billboard activities.