Seeing what others missed:the insight that put Manitobaon the map
For years, Manitoba’s tourism industry struggled with low visibility. At home, the province lacked appeal; abroad, it lacked recognition—despite Canada’s strong reputation. Our goal was to create an authentic, inspiring portrayal that would increase visitation and spending.
We also needed tourism operators on board. Many were unsure a single brand could effectively support their individual businesses
During our research, I attended a Destination Canada seminar for a group of tourism operators. As the session concluded, the presenter remarked, “…international audiences don’t know the provinces and territories by name, but they do know Canada. So when you create your hotel ad, be sure to mention Canada somewhere in the copy.”
That insight stuck with me. If an unknown hotel needed to identify itself as Canadian, surely an unfamiliar province did too. But instead of a passing mention, why not make Canada central to the brand? As far as I knew, no province or territory had done it. And in advertising, the first to claim an idea owns it.
Our traveller profiles were built from deep research—Traveller Quotient data from Destination Canada, Environics consumer insights, and interviews with operators and influencers. We found that Canadians crave “quintessentially Canadian” experiences: shield wilderness, Arctic coasts, vast prairies, and vibrant cities. Manitoba offered it all—but few knew it.
The insight aligned perfectly with my creative strategy: leverage Canada’s strong global identity to elevate Manitoba. Rather than positioning the province in isolation, we could anchor it within Canada’s established appeal—making Manitoba more visible and more compelling to travellers seeking authentic Canadian experiences.
Persuading leaders andselling big ideas
I usually go the extra mile to deliver a big, polished presentation. But after months of strategic development, data analysis, and research, time was tight, and the window for shooting was closing. Instead of a formal pitch with visuals and videos, I took a different approach—one that was direct and personal.
No slides. No splashy presentation. Just a one-on-one conversation with Travel Manitoba CEO Colin Ferguson and a simple narrative on paper—one that built anticipation, sparked imagination, and left his heart racing.
“The Canada’s Heart Beats brandreenergized our organization andcreated momentum in our entireindustry. It’s a home run.”
– Colin Ferguson, President and CEO, Travel Manitoba
Canada’s Heart Beats
Challenge: Manitoba had strong offerings—shield wilderness, Arctic coasts, vibrant cities—but weak visibility. At home, the province lacked appeal; abroad, it lacked recognition. And many tourism operators were skeptical that a single brand could support their individual goals. We needed to create an inspiring, authentic portrayal that could rally the industry while driving real visitation.
Solution: Our insight came from a simple seminar remark: “International audiences don’t know the provinces, but they know Canada.” We flipped that into a powerful strategy—making Canada central to Manitoba’s tourism identity. This allowed us to position Manitoba not as an unknown outlier, but as the heart of something larger. From there, the campaign focused on emotional storytelling and bold single experiences—beginning with Arctic safaris and growing to include cultural landmarks like the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
The Launch Campaign:An opportunity to inspire
Tourism ads usually take one of two paths. The first tries to show everything at once—a blur of visuals, styles, and edits that leave little impression.
The second is more powerful: focus on a single experience, let it unfold, and create space for emotional connection. We chose that path—starting with one of Manitoba’s signature draws, from Arctic safaris to hidden cultural gems. Once interest was sparked, we could reveal more of what the province had to offer.
The campaign ran in key markets across print, online, and video—designed to showcase Manitoba’s wild, untamed side and connect with travellers seeking something different.
Results:
Industry Impact: The launch of Manitoba, Canada’s Heart… Beats sparked a wave of collaboration across the province’s tourism sector. Cross-promotion between operators and regions increased significantly, and the funding model for provincial tourism was restructured to support this new momentum—ultimately leading to a province-wide municipal and regional branding initiative led by the agency.
• +20% increase in U.S. visitation
• Sold out featured experiences
• Growth in air travel and hotel occupancy
Campaign Performance: Awareness rose across all target markets, with Calgary jumping from 12% to 32%. Travel Manitoba saw a 135% spike in web traffic, and tourism operators also reported an increase in online traffic. Traveller inquiries increased by 60%, signalling strong interest and intent.
• +20% awareness lift in Calgary
• +135% increase in website traffic
• +60% more traveller inquiries
The campaign garnered international recognition, including a Gold at the World Media Festival, and was later highlighted by Destination Canada as a national best practice. In 2019, Lonely Planet named Manitoba a Best in Travel region.
ClientTravel ManitobaProjectCanada’s Heart Beats – Launch CampaignYear2014
Manitoba stops Calgary in its tracks
A targeted media push in Calgary—identified through research as home to a large segment of our ideal Canadian travellers—took this strategy even further. In addition to traditional campaign assets, we orchestrated a takeover of a light rail station and train car, transforming the media itself into an immersive experience that brought Manitoba’s tourism story to life.
ClientTravel ManitobaProjectStation Domination – CalgaryYear2014
Canadian Museum forHuman Rights:Growing the brand withnew offerings
Shortly after the campaign launched, Manitoba’s tourism landscape expanded with the opening of a major new attraction: the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the first national museum built outside of Ottawa. As a new pillar of the province’s tourism offering, we developed supplementary campaign assets, marking the first evolution of the creative platform. This not only reinforced the flexibility of our approach but also proved that the brand was built to grow alongside Manitoba’s tourism industry.
ClientTravel ManitobaProjectCanadian Museum for Human Rights CampaignYear2014