Manitoba: Canada's Heart...Beats

Four ads have been released by Manitoba Tourism with a new slogan replacing the old one "Manitoba Time".

The last slogan was devised in 2011 and has died a quick death.

Contrast that to Minnesota ad campaign done in the same year which won best ad campaign for a state in the U.S. the same year.

Here is the ad:

  Explore Minnesota Anthem from Colle+McVoy on Vimeo.


It is easy to see why the Minnesota ad was a winner. It is visually engaging, the song is catchy, the slogan inviting, it is very funny and it captures everything the state offers. Totally a winner.

A North Dakota ad for Fargo caused controversy:

The controversy was: What does one have to do to become a legend at a Fargo bar.

They say that bad press is better than no press. North Dakota's slogan is catchy and their ad campaign pictures and video are pretty. Take away the captions though and it might be hard to make a distinction of what state (or province for that matter), it is advertising.

Sometimes you don't need words to tell your story:



However, look at Saskatchewan with two slogans Pure Saskatchewan and Embrace a New Place and a tourism video that looks like it was cut by the editor of the Bourne Movies.



There is nothing wrong with Manitoba's ads per se but if they were broadcast in North Dakota or Minnesota, what would attract those citizens to our province?

How do we keep from being lost in the crowd? How do you keep people from hitting the mute button, the fast forward button or worse, confusing the ad for another place?

On 2000, the car company BMW really researched who bought their cars and how they learned about the vehicles. After that, they commissioned several films featuring their cars and directed by some of the world's best directors featuring some star actors. It cost around $15 million.

The Manitoba ad campaign is a shade under $2.4 million. Obviously, it includes more than four 30 second videos. However, wouldn't it be interesting if we shot say...a car chase in Winnipeg past a few landmarks or a foot chase after someone in the MTS Centre just as the crowd shouts "True North."

Hmm, one wonders.

Or maybe it doesn't have to be that expensive. Maybe a Youtube competition by anyone with a cash prize for an ad campaign for Manitoba.

I guess we'll never know. I have no doubt the good intentions of anyone who puts together tourism ads. It seems a longshot to break away from the crowd unless you really do something different.