Canadians use live billboards to lure Americans to Canada

CTC recognised that there were lots of photos and conversations taking place online about Canadian holiday destinations already and wanted to create an innovative way to use the ongoing stream of content to generate awareness of the breadth and depth of experiences available in Canada in key US markets.

The solution was a series of digital storescapes that harness the power of Twitter to display what's currently being talked about and photographed in Canada to inspire Americans to book a Canadian holiday. The aggregated content brings online conversations, images and videos to the streets of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles this summer.

Encouraged to take part in live billboards

Developed by the CTC's agency of record DDB Canada the digital storescapes include 2.4 x 3m monitors featuring a continuous stream of "tweeted" photos and conversations based on specific search terms of Canadian cities, events and more. Both travellers in Canada and Americans at home are encouraged to tweet and take part in these live billboards and join the "now" conversation about Canada.

Americans can also win a trip to a Canadian destination of their choice by following @keep_exploring on Twitter and @ reply with their favourite Canadian destination. Street teams, equipped with iPads, are on site to encourage passersby to interact with the board and help them participate in the contest, should they not have a Twitter account.

"With the proliferation of social media, people like to share what's happening in their lives immediately," says Cosmo Campbell, creative director, DDB Canada, Vancouver. "What better way to showcase all the amazing experiences that are happening in Canada right now, than through an interactive billboard that aggregates those memorable moments captured by travellers in real time. The unexpected nature of the experiences that are being uploaded will surprise passersby and change their perception of Canada."

The storescapes are part of a broader campaign, which targets Americans to travel to Canada this summer. Supporting campaign elements include TV and online broadcast spots, online advertising, social media and print.

The team

Creative Director: Cosmo Campbell and Dean Lee
Digital Creative Director: Josh Fehr
Creative Technologist: James Chutter
Copywriter: Kevin Rathgeber, Cam Warden
Art Director: Brandon Thomas, Murray Falconer
Account Manager(s): Bryce Sparks, Geoff Wilton
Designer: Brandon Thomas, Murray Falconer, Ellie Moon
Developer(s): Justin Macleod , InWindow Outdoor
Digital Producer: Zerlina Chan
Print Producer: Gayle Robson
Community Cultivation: Chris Walts