A quick change in its advertising schedule helped the Canadian National Exhibition sidestep a public relations hazard on opening day.

Busboards reading, ‘Just a reminder to call in sick August 18th. Free admission opening day,’ came under fire at a Metro Toronto Council meeting earlier this month for encouraging the public to be irresponsible.

Only a few phone calls were received from the general public about the campaign, but David Marskell, cne director of marketing, says he decided to change the busboards to diffuse the issue because he did not want it to overshadow the excitement of the 20-day event.

Marskell says the busboards were two-sided, making it easy for TransAd to change to the second message ahead of schedule.

The offending board was flipped to read ‘Get in for $5 after 7 p.m. Fridays.’

Advertising for this year’s cne was created by McKim Baker Lovick/BBDO, Toronto.

The cne began a review of its advertising assignment this past June with the winner scheduled to start a three-year term January 1994.