Tourism Yukon has selected Whitehorse-based firm Outside the Cube as its agency of record following a review that began this spring.
Outside the Cube was one of four agencies shortlisted for the account and received the nod from Tourism Yukon in July.
According to Dee Enright, president and CEO of Outside the Cube, her agency’s successful pitch owed to its unconventional operational model. The shop focuses on business analysis and strategy but sub-contracts creative, media buying and other execution-based work to other agencies.
“I came from a large agency, and one of the things I always found when I was doing planning or strategy is that a lot of what you decide to do is driven by the capabilities and talent within your own four walls,” said Enright, whose background includes a stint as vice-president, media at Cossette.
“What (Tourism Yukon) said they liked was that the decisions are made impartially and that we go and get the right team at the right time.”
Outside the Cube’s partners on the Tourism Yukon account include Toronto creative agency Key Gordon Communications, tourism media relations experts from Victoria-based firm Tartan Communications, Vancouver digital firm FCV and Jungle Media of Halifax.
Enright said a new Tourism Yukon marketing campaign is slated for the fall, but added that her agency’s impact would be more apparent in next spring’s campaign.
“The Yukon has an outstanding product, but it’s not a mass product. We’re looking for low-volume, high-yield consumers,” said Enright. “The challenge is to do it differently. We don’t have a big budget, so to just do things traditionally, we can’t compete with other jurisdictions.”
Outside the Cube had previously done project work for Tourism Yukon, including a media event entitled Yukon Day in February, 2010.
