ELORA, ON — What began as a promising $250,000 collaboration to promote Elora’s annual Monster Month has fallen apart over a disagreement about control of the event’s social media presence.
The proposed initiative, pitched by Don Kogan of the Kat Florence Company of Canada — which has local ties to Elora — aimed to revamp Monster Month’s online presence and launch a new “Creepy Cash” promotion. The plan involved bringing in social media influencers, each receiving $500 to spend at local businesses, boosting both the festival and the downtown core.
But the pitch hit a snag with Sensational Elora, the not-for-profit that runs Monster Month. In a phone call last Tuesday, they expressed initial interest in the concept — but felt blindsided when aspects of the promotion were publicly announced before a formal agreement was in place.
A key point of contention: control of the Monster Month social media accounts. Marketing materials from Kat Florence described a proposed “takeover” of the accounts, which didn’t sit well with Sensational Elora’s Co-Chair, Barbara Lee.
Kogan insists that the intention was never to take control away, and that Monster Month would have maintained access and oversight.
However, in a written statement released Tuesday, Sensational Elora made their stance clear: “We are a not-for-profit, and as such, we do not authorize your use of any Sensational Elora and Monster Month properties as it does not align with our established goals, brand, and values.”
Following that statement, the Kat Florence Company of Canada announced it was pulling the entire promotional idea.
Despite the fallout, the door isn’t completely closed. When asked if reconciliation is possible, Lee says maybe, stating “It’s really up to Don if he wants to have further conversations”
