City
No Love for New Live With Culture Ads?
Here's what we know about the controversial new Live With Culture ads promoting Toronto to American would-be tourists:
* There are four versions, all created for free by Toronto ad agency FCB.
* They are currently running in alt weeklies in Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Rochester, Ithaca and Syracuse.
* They've received decidedly mixed if not negative reviews from the mainstream media. Among the few supporters has been councillor Kyle Rae who enthused "These are great. They're funny, they're poking fun at us, and will probably generate an interest in Toronto in other people who think of us as just another boring city north of the 49th parallel."
* None of the mainstream media bothered to ask any Americans what they think.
Live with Culture Project Manager Gregory Nixon welcomes the controversy and feels the ads have had the desired effect by creating buzz and conversation in the media and perhaps even around some water coolers.
Robert Ouellette of Reading Toronto disagrees and thinks we all need to do some serious re-thinking about how Toronto gets marketed abroad.
Perhaps the only issue that everyone can agree with is that these print ads are at least marginally more successful than the universally panned Toronto Unlimited disaster championed by Tourism Toronto.
Me? Well, I've been waiting for the ad campaign that plays on the obvious - that Toronto is a number of cities within a city. And no, I'm not talking about anything to do with the GTA, but rather a nod to our multiculturalism.
I can picture the headline now...
A one hour flight to Mumbai, Shanghai, Milan and Mexico City?
Say Hello to Toronto. The world in one place.
Um, or something like that....What do you think?
Discussion
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I think you made a good point when you say that the mainstream media (and just about everyone else) has failed to ask the target audience what they think about the ads.
These ads are not meant for Torontonians. Of course we aren't going to like the stereotypes. But it's sort of besides the point if the ads actually work, no?
That said, I really like your idea of "The World in one Place".
These ads: Not the coolest ads evuh!
When you think of the possibilities, these do fall a little short. But then, there's really only a few examples of where any ad agency has really captured a city's "vibe". Rochester, NY (a city that has the vibe of a piece of plain white toast)came up with "Made for Living", WTF is THAT supposed to mean? Did it beat out, "Rochester, You could die here, and it wouldn't be as bad as you think"
I'm not sure why everyone's panning them so hard. Lots of ads are bland and crap.
Also, as a great multicultural city, these ads make us look mighty white. How about some colour!?
That's it. Short, simple, sweet. Says it all.
Without resorting to poking fun at ourselves or anyone else. I've never understood why any kind of marketing scheme for Toronto seems dead set on proving we're just as good as anyplace else.
We are what we are, and that should be more than enough.
Anyway, I digress. I'm curious to see how these ads will play out in the long run and if they garner any interest with the border states. My guess - not really.
As for Tim's suggested tagline - I like it! How about this ... a poster of a person cycling along a street and in the background two opposing neighbourhoods, say Chinatown and Little Italy. Caption: "China to Italy in 5 minutes"
Tagline: "Say Hello to Toronto. The World in one place"
What is the demographic they are chasing with these ads?
My gut tells me it's white, University students. I could be wrong.
While I agree that "The World in One Place" would hit all the notes (it would work to build civic pride as well as engender a more holistic understanding of who we are) I don't think these ads are trying to do this or even need to do this.
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