A campaign to have the public help name three new ferries in British Columbia has backfired after participants hijacked the contest to vent their frustrations.

BC Ferries launched the contest on Tuesday, asking social media users to offer suggestions using the hashtag #NameAFerry.

Within hours, frustrated ferry riders used the opportunity to poke fun at the company, by offering up names mocking ferry delays and high prices.

Some of the most brutal submissions included:

  • MV Spirit of Expecting Delays
  • Coastal Extortion
  • SS shoudvebeenabridge
  • Queen of No Sailings
  • Spirit of You're on Your Own
  • Coastal Highwayman
  • MV Executive Bonus
  • MV There's a slight breeze so we can't sail
  • SS Monopoly

But there were some serious suggestions, as well.

When asked by CTV Vancouver Island, ferry riders offered up the following names: Queen of Cascadia, Salish Princess and Coastal Racer.

BC Ferries Vice-President of Customer Service Corrine Story said the company is taking the names in stride.

"I think it's great people are really interested in these new ships and are trying to come up with some really creative, fun names," she said. "I know there's some fun names out there, and that just kind of adds interest to the whole competition."

The #NameAFerry contest closes on June 9.

The prize is $500 worth of travel with BC Ferries, which sparked several to make fun of the amount.

"That's almost enough to go somewhere on BC Ferries!" Twitter user Renee Stephen said.

This isn't the first time a social media campaign has backfired on a company or organization.

Earlier this year, Starbucks launched its “Race Together” campaign in the U.S., which attempted to unite communities and open up dialogue about race relations.

Customers quickly derided the campaign, wondering why the company would attempt to force its baristas to discuss race with customers over the few minutes they interact over the sale of coffee.

In April 2014, the New York Police Department asked people to tweet photos of themselves with NYPD officers under the hashtag #myNYPD.

It wasn't long before photos were posted of what appeared to be police aggression. Photos soon surfaced online of officers arresting citizens, confronting protesters and hauling people into police trucks.

With a report from CTV Vancouver Island's Stephanie Sherlock