Dutch Firm Baa-Ttles Local Mayor Over Ads

Sheep act as living billboards for the company Hotels.nl in Joure, northern Netherlands, on this April 9, 2006 file photo. The city bars advertising along highways and has started fining the company 1,000 euros ($US 1,235) per day over the stunt, but the company says the sheep don't mind and benefit from a warm jacket. (AP Photo/Alex de Haan) (Alex De Haan - AP)

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- An Dutch company that is blanketing roadside sheep with its logo faces a $60,000 fine _ but said Monday it's the mayor of a small town nearby who should feel sheepish for trying to ban the ad campaign.

The hotel bookings company Hotels.nl began what it thought was a humorous campaign covering sheep with blankets bearing its logo along highways near Amsterdam, Leiden, Groningen and The Hague on April 1.

But when mayor Bert Kuiper in the northern town of Skarsterlan noticed the advertisements on sheep in his district near Groningen, he said they violated a local ordinance against advertising along freeways.

Hotels.nl Chief Executive Miechel Nagel said the company would respond by increasing the number of sheep it uses in Skarterslan to 60 and changing the statement on their blankets to "Thank You, Mr. Mayor."

"Now it's a freedom of speech issue," said Nagel. He added that farmers were being paid $18-$25 per sheep per month to wear the advertisements.

"Their value as lamb-kebabs is around $75," Nagel said.

On April 10, Kuiper threatened the company with a $25,000 fine. When Hotels.nl, with annual sales of $86 million, said it did not mind paying, Kuipers upped the potential fine if the signs were not removed by April 24.

"It's very creative and we're absolutely not cranky about this, but it has been our policy for years that we don't want advertisements along our roads," Kuiper was quoted saying by Dutch press agency ANP.

A receptionist for Skarsterlan's city offices said no one would be available to comment until Tuesday.

According to the ANP report, the mayor complained that Hotels.nl was undermining the authority of local laws and he had started legal action against the company.

"What's next, cows and horses?" ANP quoted Kuiper saying.

Nagel said Hotels.nl plans to distribute free horse blankets to 700 people in Skarsterlan bearing the company's logo if it loses the case.