The Canadian Tourism Commission is exposing Canada’s hidden gems through a national integrated campaign that aims to inspire Canadians to explore their own country. The eight-week campaign, made possible by special Federal stimulus funding and developed by DDB Vancouver, includes print, magazine, TV and online.
The campaign includes eye-catching images that aren’t typically viewed as Canadiana, said Cosmo Campbell, creative director of DDB Vancouver. The goal is to encourage Canadians to seek out new and exotic experiences in places they likely weren’t familiar with before.
One print execution looks as if it was taken from the exotic shores of the Caribbean with the warm turquoise waters, when in fact it’s a shot of Georgian Bay, Ont.
“It’s to give [Canadians] an understanding that there are a lot of unexpected and unforeseen places in the country that they can go visit,” he said. “So getting away from the traditional landmark places that you’d expect to see that most people know about.”
The creative was developed using professional images and through user generated content from places like YouTube, said Campbell.
Each execution asks “Where is this?” and drives viewers to LocalsKnow.ca, with the Canadian Tourism logo and “Keep exploring” tag line subtly inserted in the bottom corner of the ad. Visitors to the site are encouraged to upload photos of their favourite Canadian travel spots and great unknown experiences.
“People won’t just be seeing the traditional images of our country. They’ll discover a whole new Canada,” said Michele McKenzie, CTC president and CEO, in a release. “The imagery, experiences, and deals offered by the industry will surprise Canadians, build pride, and create an urgency to book a trip and see Canada now.”
Almost all provinces and territories, as well as other industry partners like Air Canada and Aeroplan, are participating in this national program.
To stimulate travel within the country, Air Canada is introducing the “Explore Canada” promotion for domestic roundtrip flights starting at $300, and Aeroplan is giving away one million miles, to inspire citizens to explore undiscovered areas of the country.
Parks Canada also recently launched a national advertising campaign and two-year freeze on cost of admissions to entice cash-strapped Canadians to spend their tourism dollars here at home.
The CTC said it would invest $10 million per year in the next two fiscal years to support the tourism industry and stimulate Canada’s economy.
