Ric Wallace, Owner
VIRTUAL EDGE COMMUNICATIONS
29 September 2006 - (Revised October 8, 2006)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Campaign to Adopt the Black Squirrel as London’s Mascot Not Nuts

It began with one person and a website. Ric Wallace, creator of www.Victoria-Park.com, has launched a campaign to have London, Ontario adopt the black squirrel as the city’s mascot. However nutty this idea may sound, Wallace has dug up some interesting facts. He discovered that black squirrels in North America are truly somewhat rare. Although common throughout Ontario and Quebec, only 1 in 10 squirrels in North America are black. Actually, many Americans have never seen a black squirrel. Wallace feels this rarity makes them an untapped resource for tourism in his city.

Ontario has exported black squirrels to the United States on four separate occasions – once from London. In 1961, Kent State University in Ohio imported ten of London’s black squirrels. Prior to this, Ohio had no black squirrels. When university students first spotted the unusual rodents, they assumed the creatures were skunks and ran from them. Since that time, the city of Kent, Ohio has embraced the black squirrel in a big way with events such as their annual Black Squirrel Festival. Many Kent businesses include the phrase “black squirrel” in their names – companies like Black Squirrel Radio, Black Squirrel Gallery, and Black Squirrel Woodworking. The Kent State University Police have even adopted “Simon” the black squirrel as their promotional mascot. Recently Wallace learned that in 1902 and 1906, Ontario exported 18 black squirrels to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. The black squirrels seen roaming the lawn of the White House today are actually descendants of those Ontario squirrels.

Wallace insists that marketing our black squirrels to tourists would bring more than just American visitors to London. The right campaign could bring tourists from as far away as Australia as well. On that continent, squirrels exist only in zoos. “Visit where the squirrels roam freely” could attract Australians to our city. Wallace also believes London could link with other “squirrel” communities in promoting a tourist connection. Teaming up with Exeter, Ontario, known for its white squirrels (www.whitesquirrels.ca), London could promote tourism with the slogan, “Come See Ontario in Black and White.” The possibilities for exploiting squirrels for the sake of tourism seem endless in Wallace’s mind. This squirrel-minded entrepreneur has been promoting Exeter’s white squirrels since 1995 and London’s black squirrels since 2003. Kent, Ohio artist Kenneth McGregor, well known for his work on Kent’s black squirrel promotions, supports Wallace’s efforts.

The timing of this “Running of the Squirrels” campaign coincides with the municipal election, since Wallace believes elections are the only time anything really gets accomplished. If Londoners want to “grab the squirrel by the tail” and run with this, they can download his online petition and promotional signs for displaying in their windows. Nevertheless, should London be changing its motto? “Why not?” asks Wallace. “The adoption of rodents as mascots is not a new idea.” His list of examples includes the following: Canada’s beaver on its nickel, Walt Disney’s empire based on a mouse, and even Bell Canada’s “Frank and Gordon” ad campaign. Wallace feels now is the ideal time for the City of London to hop on the black squirrel bandwagon.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ric Wallace - Owner, Virtual Edge Communications
For black squirrel information, see www.Victoria-Park.com

Release prepared by DesignWrite.ca