Ottawa Tourism is taking a stand against the notion that all the capital can offer tourists is Parliament Hill, museums and easily accessible outdoor attractions, says Jantine Van Kregten, director of communications, Ottawa Tourism.

The tourism co’s Ottawa-based agency of record, Mediaplus, created and implemented the provocative campaign, which aims to connect travellers to the vibrant urban experiences the city has to offer.

Promotional elements looking to reach consumers in Ontario and Quebec (with a key focus on Toronto and Montreal) include print inserts and ads within newspapers and magazines such as the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette and VIA Destinations. Additional efforts involve ads on TV (CTV, CBC and Citytv), online, outdoor and on radio – all of which direct traffic to Ottawa Tourism’s website.

Taglines accompanying the creative, such as “Not all of our parties are political” and “No, we don’t roll up the sidewalks at 5 o’clock” were developed to play on and squash stereotypes that have visitors thinking the city is all politics, says Van Kregten.

“We have a four pillar approach – the four unique selling propositions of Ottawa if you will (capital, culture, nature and urban),” she adds. “[Urban vibe] is the one we have traditionally spent the least amount of time on. We want to build that relationship between, yes we are the political capital of Canada, but we also have great cultural and urban experiences.”