Northern Territories
National Marketing Campaign

Services: TV commercial
Website: lookupnorth.ca

A survey undertaken by the Territories showed that few Canadians were knowledgeable about northern travel opportunities and experiences. They acknowledged the North as a place of vast natural beauty, but they also perceived it as a cold, remote region with little to offer tourists.

McDonnell Haynes created the “Look Up North” campaign to showcase the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut as vibrant, dynamic places to visit, live and work. The nationwide campaign covered all major media, including television and cinema commercials, a Canada AM promotion, inserts in business and consumer publications, newspaper and magazine ads, and online banner ads.

An eye-catching website, www.lookupnorth.ca, was created to serve both as a portal to tourism sites for all three territories and as a unifying element for the campaign. The URL and website logo were featured in all mass communications.

The campaign successfully raised awareness, intent to visit and understanding of the economic opportunities. The Canada AM promotion was one of CTV’s most successful ever.

Two months after the “Look Up North” campaign began, Yukon premier Dennis Fentie said that it was “sparking a great deal of interest” and that “the ads have really raised awareness about what’s up here.”