Tar balls put damper on Florida's beach ads

Add Florida's "Our coast is clear" tourism ads to the list of things BP's oil spill has killed. BP paid Florida some $25 million to run a campaign reassuring tourists that the state's beaches remained unsullied by the spill. But now that tar balls are floating ashore, Visit Florida has had to change course again—replacing those earlier rushed ads with even-more-rushed ads that promise only some clear beaches. Compare the ads below. "There are plenty of places in Florida where you can enjoy crystal-clear waters and a great beach vacation," says the revised ad.