Love it or hate it, this controversial campaign has shone a spotlight on the Top End

A CONTROVERSIAL unauthorised tourism campaign has got Tourism NT up in arms. Love it or hate it, it’s causing quite a stir. Warning: coarse language.

The controversial campaign is causing quite a stir on social media.

WARNING: COARSE LANGUAGE

THE Northern Territory’s government is considering legal action over controversial travel merchandise spruiking the Top End as a tourist destination.

A group called NT Official — which has no connection to the government’s actual tourism arm, Tourism NT — is selling shirts and souvenirs emblazoned with the words “CU in the NT”.

We don’t need to tell you what’s wrong with this picture.

The logo is very similar to the official Tourism NT design.

Apparently the issue is not the lewd slogan itself, but the use of official Tourism NT photos for commercial purposes without proper attribution. The the design is very similar to the Territory’s official “Brolga” logo, but it’s different enough to avoid infringing trademark laws.

The identities of the people behind the campaign are yet to be revealed, however, in a statement they described NT Official as a “guerilla group of people with the aim of promoting travel awareness to the NT region, specifically targeting younger markets”.

Its Facebook and Instagram pages are filled with wanderlust-inducing images.

The design caused quite a stir on social media, with lovers and haters alike.

“C u next Tuesday!” Felishia Richardson wrote on Facebook, to which CN in the NT replied: “Come any time you want!”

“That’s f en bonza mate. That’s better than “Where the bloody hell are ya” campaign for Qld. Well done lads,” commented Paul Bastian.

“Trashy campaign guys. Won’t be seeing any Top End spenders anytime soon with this campaign. You’ve lost me!” wrote David Richards.

“National disgrace. Australia where they use absolute filthy language and call it tourism promotion. How many tourists are you going to attract when you refer to it as a vagina. I hope this is retracted and fast,” commented Jody Ellis.

THE LATEST MARKETING WEAPON FOR THE TERRITORY HAS BEEN REVEALED pic.twitter.com/hyoGCFVUG6

— The NT News (@TheNTNews) November 5, 2016

NT News reports the government has been unable to contact anyone from NT Official.

However, a spokesman from the guerilla group told the newspaper they’d been inundated with orders, and he was “flat out like a lizard drinking”.

Let’s face it: humour and a laid-back attitude is what we love about the Top End.

“We want people to recognise that if they want to go to the NT they shouldn’t hesitate,” the group said in a statement. “They should just go and tell their friends to ‘CU in the NT!’”