Inclusive, ‘cool’ Toronto shown in new tourism ad – Toronto Star

Toronto's new ad shows the views from the city -- a seemingly inclusive kaleidoscope of colours and cultures. ( YouTube )

Torontos new tourism ad released Monday has some marketers raving, with some calling it one of the best ads theyve ever seen for a city.

I put a spell on you, coos singer Bethany Lee in the Toronto Tourism ad that takes viewers on a whirlwind tour of the city it dubs Canadas downtown.

It runs for 71 seconds and features vignettes of Toronto ballet dancers on the TTC, Jose Bautistas iconic bat flip, the electricity of a rooftop pool bar, the citys architecture and skyline, food, a Drake performance and the Caribbean Carnival.

The views are different here, reads the fast-paced ad that captures Torontos zeitgeist, created by J. Walter Thompson Canada.

This ad is really good because it reflects sort of the energy, the diversity and also the swagger of Toronto and I think theres something in the ad for everyone and it really makes Toronto look like an appealing place to visit, said David Soberman, marketing professor at Rotman School of Management and the Canadian national chair of strategic marketing.

The quick movement through the many vignettes reduces the chances of wear out, Soberman said.

There are so many different things in it every time you watch it youll see something different, Soberman said.

Richard Powers, an associate professor at the Rotman School of Management, thought the ad was one of the best he has seen and thinks it will have a huge impact.

I think the ads going to go viral. It is that good, he said. It portrayed Toronto as a very cool destination spot: friendly, welcoming and safe. When I saw that ad, I was really proud of Toronto.

The ad also highlights a second view of Toronto its inclusivity and progressive values through vignettes of the annual Pride Parade, a same sex couple together and through phrases like Love is love is love and In this city its ok to let your guard down superimposed on scenes.

Although the ad may seem like a direct response to Donald Trumps America, the chief creative officer at J. Walter Thompson Canada says it isnt.

Even before Trump, you could feel the creep of sort of different values starting to resonate even more and I like how this campaign pushes off that not only in terms of the sort of mental views, if you will, but also the physical views, Ryan Spelliscy said. We liked this notion that this city is more than the sites, its also an incredible collection of progressive views and values.

Andrew Weir, the chief marketing officer at Tourism Toronto, said this is what Toronto is.

The views are different here and were now being confident enough to say it and I think Toronto wants to say it, Weir said. I think the people of Toronto are showing a sense of civic pride that we havent seen in years here.

Last year marked another record year for tourism in the city, said Weir, who called the growth remarkable.

There was more than a 10 per cent increase of tourists from U.S. and overseas markets from the previous year, Weir added, driven largely by visitors flying in, rather than driving.

The ad was funded by a partnership with the Greater Toronto Hotel Association and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports and didnt use tax dollars, said Weir.

It will run in major U.S. cities including Boston, Washington, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and New York City, primarily on YouTube, said Spelliscy.

There will be three more follow-up videos coming out in April that will focus on Torontos food and nightlife, arts and culture and progressive views that will run for 30 seconds each online.

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Inclusive, 'cool' Toronto shown in new tourism ad - Toronto Star