Ottawa urges locals to ‘tell the story’ of Canadas capital

Ottawa’s bullish new marketing campaign positions the nation’s capital as Canada in One City – and the obvious choice of meeting planners wanting to connect with the country’s soul.

Launched by Ottawa Tourism to mark the watershed moment when the city hit one-million residents, the campaign provides a store of marketing materials – including video, powerpoint presentations and press releases – to allow event industry suppliers to promote the city.

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The aim is to ensure local stakeholders promote the city in a coherent way to create the strongest message possible and build Ottawa’s reputation with external audiences through storytelling.

Michael Crockatt, president and CEO of Ottawa Tourism, said: “Announcing this new approach in conjunction with Ottawa reaching 1 million residents underscores the correlation between Ottawa’s visitor economy and the residents who benefit from the spending of tourism dollars in our destination. In fact, visitors spend more than $2.2 billion each year in our community.”

The campaign includes four broad themes which combine to create the idea of Canada in One City. The brand themes are explored at www.CanadaInOneCity.ca and can be found with excerpts below:

• Canada’s Village: “Whether it is your first time visiting, where you have spent the last semester, or the last 10 years of your life living here, Ottawa welcomes you with a friendliness and accessibility unique to G7 capital cities that wield a similar level of economic and political might.”
• Connect with Canada: “All Canadian cities are part of the fabric of the country, but not all cities are an embodiment of the country itself. In this regard, Ottawa is distinct. This is where you can connect with Canada at any moment in time. You can see beyond the present moment into what has been and what is yet to come.”
• Joie de vivre: “It can be found in the joy of conversation, eating, travel, or celebration; it is the joy of living. Ottawans love to enjoy life, to live better, to find and pursue happiness in the place they call home and in its people.”
• Ottawa’s Legacy: “Both our physical and social cityscapes reflect Ottawa’s many coexisting legacies. Each generation adds a new layer to our history. This city has long been home to changemakers, pioneers and those who can see beyond what is, to what can be… From policy, economy, and trade to culture, education, healthcare and the environment, fundamental Canadian values become reality in Ottawa.”

The resources are the culmination of a long-term project undertaken by Ottawa Tourism and the City of Ottawa with international consultants Destination Think! to uncover Ottawa’s unique attributes— its Place DNATM—and develop Ottawa’s brand identity.