In an age where every other travel campaign seems spun by algorithms and brushed within an inch of its soul by AI, Canada has leaned back, cracked open a beer by the bonfire, and said: “We’ll stick with what’s real, thanks.”
Unveiled with considerable warmth and a touch of homespun charm at this year’s Rendez-vous Canada—our Commonwealth cousin’s largest international tourism tradeshow—the new global brand “Canada, naturally.” isn’t just a tagline. It’s a philosophy. A love letter. One that champions the everyday magic of the Great White North: think roadside service stations in the Rockies, backyard barbies under the northern lights, and the kind of welcome that feels like a long-lost friend pulling out a chair at the family table.
This isn’t hyperbole; it’s strategy—one with a mighty goal at its heart: $160 billion in incremental tourism revenue by 2030. And if you think that sounds ambitious, remember this is a nation where even the squirrels wear plaid and apologise when they jump out in front of your car.
Turning the Volume Down to Be Heard
Canada’s latest campaign is not about flash or fanfare: no techno remixes, no shiny supercuts of influencers dangling off mountaintops for the ‘gram. Instead, “Canada, naturally,” leans into something far more disarming: silence, sincerity, and the power of the unfiltered.
“We’re living in a world that’s increasingly filtered and fake,” said Gloria Loree, Senior Vice-President, Marketing Strategy & CMO at Destination Canada. “This campaign underscores the importance of connecting to what’s real… It’s an open invitation to travellers who are craving authenticity and meaningful connections.”
And there it is—the beating heart of the pitch: a genuine invitation, not to a curated fantasy, but to something altogether more profound: a country unafraid to be itself.
The Campaign Toolkit: From Film Reels to Google Street View
At its core, the campaign’s creative execution is as quietly confident as the country it represents.
The hero videos were shot on nostalgic 35mm film—a grainy throwback with a warmth that digital can’t fake. No brassy voiceovers, no adrenaline-charged edit cuts. Just everyday Canadian moments captured like snapshots in an old family album.
Digital advertising follows suit. Beautiful, yes—but modest. Unassuming. Almost shy in its storytelling. The kind of ads that let you linger, rather than shout at you across the screen. And then there’s the Google Street View collaboration—an inspired, arguably audacious move. Instead of glossy travel-poster imagery, viewers are shown Canada through the lens of the everyday pedestrian or curious traveller clicking down a digital street.
It’s real, raw, and refreshingly radical in a world where “authenticity” is more often marketed than meant.
Data-Driven, But Soul-Led
Destination Canada isn’t guessing what travellers want. Their research shows 65% of the most desirable international visitors—what they call “target guests”—actively seek destinations that feel authentic, honest, and different. These are not your standard suitcase-and-souvenir types. They’re after moments that feel real. And Canada, with its open spaces, open arms, and open minds, fits the bill like a flannel glove.
But don’t be fooled. Behind the poetry is a purpose. “Canada, naturally.” is grounded in Destination Canada’s long-term 2030 Strategy: A World of Opportunity. It’s about positioning Canada more boldly in the global travel arena, where the stakes are high, the competition fierce, and attention spans criminally short.
To win, Canada is choosing the long game—relationship over reach, substance over sizzle.
A Modern Campaign with Traditional Values
In a marketing world addicted to hype and hyperbole, Canada is opting for understatement and, dare we say it, decency. That’s the sort of campaign Peter Allen might’ve sung about: “Still call Australia home,” but wouldn’t mind a northern getaway where the locals are friendly, the beer’s cold, and the air smells like pine and maple.
It’s a campaign that doesn’t just reflect Canada’s nature, but its nature. Honest. Kind. Profoundly human. It’s also a fine reminder to us all—marketers, travellers, and everyday folk alike—that the extraordinary isn’t always out there. Sometimes, it’s just down the road, up a trail, or across the BBQ tongs.
As the campaign’s first full outing launches across the United States this month, its core message is clear: while the world gets noisier, Canada quietly invites us to notice. To breathe. To belong.
And that, dear reader, is about as Canadian—and as timely—as it gets.
By Susan Ng
