Have you ever walked into the TTC’s Bloor-Yonge subway station and suddenly felt like you teleported to New Brunswick? It’s probably because of a new massive ad campaign that’s taken over the busy subway station.
The “Get A Sense of New Brunswick” campaign was launched in early May with the intention of getting Torontonians to visit the province in the summer.
Several large ads have been plastered around one of the city’s busiest subway stations stealing passengers’ attention.
New Brunswick’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Parks and Tourism, Melanie Deveau, tells Now Toronto that the goal is to make people feel like they’re in the province.
“As soon as you step into the station, it’s almost like you’re transported back to New Brunswick, so it’s really about interrupting people,” she said. “It’s sort of engaging, getting people to dream about coming to New Brunswick.”
Deveau says the province has spent $3 million to run the ads in Toronto, with an additional $2 million in Quebec where the ads have also taken over transit shelters in downtown Montreal’s transit.
One transit shelter in particular takes on a more elaborate spin in the city’s Dorchester Square, where an interactive replica of the Grande-Anse Lighthouse has been installed.
“That transit station has this lighthouse on the top, it has a working light. You go inside the transit shelter, and you can press a button that will give you the smell of being at the beach in New Brunswick,” Deveau said.
Deveau says the campaign targets Torontonians and Montrealers because the cities tend to be really important markets to the maritimes due to their close proximity and direct flights.
“But we also know that people living in Ontario [and] Quebec are interested in what New Brunswick has to offer from a vacation destination,” she said.
Deveau revealed that ads have also run on radio and TV, including during the recent NHL playoffs, saying she hopes people start planning their trip to the warm saltwater beaches.
“We have an East Coast vibe, there’s something here where people feel their senses and immerse themselves back into nature,” she said.
On social media, the ads have gained some support with many hyping up the province.
“It’s a damned beautiful province, and largely under-appreciated,” a Reddit user said.
“I think it’s an underrated destination. I would go there again in the future, for sure. They have the warmest beaches in Canada and they are actually quite nice,” another user said.
Meanwhile, some warn that if you do decide to visit those beaches, be prepared to bring your own vehicle or rent one.
“Getting around without a car is impossible,” one Reddit user said.
“While it is true you need a car to get around, the driving experience is 1000x times better than Toronto’s,” another person said.
One user went on to say that they’re considering visiting the province after seeing the ads in Bloor-Yonge station.
“Guess it worked!,” they said.
