Hoping to cash in on Quebec City’s recently ended 400th Anniversary celebrations to attract more visitors during the slow winter period, L’Office du tourisme de Québec has launched a major billboard and print initiative targeting Quebecers, English-Canada, the U.S. and France.
Under the new tag line “Québec, Ville et region—ici. Maintenant” (Quebec, the city and region, here and now), the campaign invites visitors to Quebec to experience the city’s history, nature and adventure, art and culture and snow. It runs until March 2 at a cost of $3.4 million.
“With the events of the 400th Anniversary, Quebec has proven it is a vibrant and exciting city and we want the whole world to know,” said Daniel Gagnon, director of communications and advertising at tourisme de Québec.
“With our here and now approach, we wanted to show that love, creativity, freedom, history, adrenalin and pleasure are all part of our lifestyle here and now,” explained Robin Brisson, creative vice-president at Quebec City’s Amalgame, which created the campaign and handled the buy. “In other words, all this is happening in Quebec.”
The campaign consists primarily of print ads in selected newspapers, magazines and ethnic publications, plus the website QuebecRegion.com/now and web banners on targeted sites including the WeatherNetwork.com to attract skiers.
The Quebec portion of the campaign consists of a magazine insert in Coup de Pouce, L’Actualité and Châtelaine, print ads in dailies and magazines, super panels on Montreal’s Jacques-Cartier and Champlain bridges, and video messages on 52 screens on the Montreal Métro. The campaign is supported by the microsite RegionDeQuebec.com/maintenant and a brochure for promotional partners including the Quebec Winter Carnival.
“We are spending a lot of money locally, because competition is fierce from places like Mont Tremblant, the Eastern Townships and sun destinations,” said Gagnon.
