Super Duck’s Truthiness In Advertising

Say what you will about Super Duck Excursions, but this company knows how to roll with the punches. When a federal court judge ordered that it change its original name (Super Duck Tours) because it was too similar to Boston Duck Tours, it just swapped in a different synonym. And now, it’s using our somewhat unflattering piece about that court battle as a marketing tool.

This large sign, affixed to its sales booth near the Aquarium, gives the impression that the tour was written up as a “Best of Boston” winner. (The content is on its website as well.) The quote they feature most prominently is, “The route is solid, the Hydra-Terras are exciting, the views from the harbor beat those from the Charles.” It sounds complimentary, but the full, original sentence chides Super Duck Excursions for failing to capitalize on its qualities by instead focusing so much energy on copying the trademarked qualities of Boston Duck Tours.

It reads:

“[Super Duck Excursions manager Dennis Kraez has] demonstrated he has the wherewithal to build a decent tour—the route is solid, the Hydra-Terras are exciting, the views from the harbor beat those from the Charles—but chooses instead to squabble over naming rights, practically insistent on not building an identity of his own.”

Later in the paragraph, the tour is described as as “a cheap knockoff, something designed to feed from the bottom”—but for some reason, that didn’t make it on the sign.

Kraez is a smart businessman, and clearly knows how to spin things to his advantage. Kudos to him for that. But if this is the best press he has to flaunt, he may have a super problem.