March 28, 2025
These last few months of upheaval and uncertainty, there is one thing we Canadians can agree upon: “Elbows UP!” When shopping at your local grocery store, have you noticed that everyone around you is doing exactly what you are doing, looking at all labels for the Canadian-made products and produce? This is not limited to the grocery store; we are dedicated to boosting our Canadian economy in every way that we can, which includes travel. So many of us have revised our perspective on travel, choosing Canada as our destination to keep our valuable dollars within our own country. Target Marketing seized the perfect opportunity to remind us of the beauty that Newfoundland and Labrador have to offer with their latest campaign they created for Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism.
Across the country, Canadians are showing their pride with every dollar they spend. The question of what it really means to buy Canadian is sparking debates and influencing decisions. It has even inspired apps designed to determine which brands are the “most Canadian.”
And this renewed sense of national pride goes beyond the shelves. Canadians are rethinking and cancelling trips to the U.S.—creating an opportunity for the tourism industry to redirect them to domestic destinations. Target, the long-time AOR for Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, recognized this opportunity and identified a point of differentiation for the province.
For Canadians looking to keep their money in Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador offers authentic experiences rooted in place, full of charming independent businesses, and local, handmade products.
On a trip here it’s not uncommon to sit in a cozy little café for tea and toast with partridgeberry jam made from berries picked down the street. And when it’s brought to your table by the person whose name is on the shingle out front, you won’t need an app to tell you you’re buying Canadian.
TJ Arch, creative director at Target
Developed by Target, ‘Silver Linings’ takes a strategic approach, engaging Newfoundland and Labrador’s independent tourism operators to highlight an important truth: in this province, buying Canadian isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s almost unavoidable. With 80% of tourism-related businesses being small, independently owned operations, a trip here isn’t just a vacation, it’s a direct investment in the country.
Newfoundland and Labrador is a place full of resilient people, not unaccustomed to making the best of a bad situation. If this unfortunate moment in geopolitics is what makes us all think harder about supporting local businesses and rallies us together, at least some good can come out of it.
TJ Arch, creative director at Target
The campaign includes 60, 30, and 15-second digital spots and will be supported by social media and a full-page spread in The Globe & Mail.
Credits:
Agency Target
Creative Director TJ Arch
Art Director Alyssa Campeau
Copywriters TJ Arch, Melissa Basset
President Catherine Kelly
Account Director Ernie Brake
Senior Account Manager Allison Daley
Strategic Planner Noel O’Dea
Agency Producer Matt Tucker
Director of Communications and Media Strategy Jef Combdon
Digital Media Planner Ryan Locke
Editor Max Parr
Sound Engineer Matt Thomson
Voice Talent Colin Furlong
