Destination Canada is debuting its new brand positioning with a fresh campaign that encourages Americans to take a break from their day-to-day by traveling north.

Called “Maple Leave,” the campaign has been developed by Rethink and aims to re-establish Canada as a top destination for Americans. This mission is critical for Destination Canada, because the U.S. market is Canada’s largest inbound market for travelers, “but our recovery rate has been a bit uneven and most of the revenue we’ve seen has been from domestic travel,” says Susan Dong, executive director of brand strategy at the destination marketer.

“Now that the borders are officially reopened, it makes sense for us to invite our neighbours back,” she adds. “They’re not only our largest market, but we want to make sure we stand out for them when they’re looking to travel internationally. We want to show them that while we have always been here, this is why they should come now.”

To answer that “why,” Rethink helped Destination Canada develop a new tone and delivery of their message that Dong calls “Canadian candor,” which Dong describes as “an interesting blend of being confident but not cocky, while being neighbourly and refreshingly honest.”

That candor comes across in the 60-second hero spot for the campaign, which taps into the notion that – especially after years of COVID-19 related stress and shut-ins – Americans are just looking to get a little space from their daily lives and everything in them.

“The world is a stressful place right now and it’s particularly tough in the middle of winter, with fewer sunlight hours, holiday bills coming due, utilities costing more and the glow of the holidays fading,” said Gloria Loree, chief marketing officer for Destination Canada. “Now, more than ever, travelers are seeking to de-stress – whether it’s through wellness, the outdoors or culture. Canada as a destination offers the spaces for travelers to connect with nature, passions, and most importantly themselves, so they can return home feeling renewed.”

The spot showcases what Dong describes as “a unique blend of openness,” which is a reflection of the brand’s new positioning that was developed last year. She defines the blend as “open spaces, open hearts and open minds,” and says Destination Canada has worked hard to be able to articulate and define it “in order to help with our marketing efforts.”

That openness was integral to the brand work because it’s an ownable position, she adds, that “resonates with the people who call this place home.” It also helps Canada stand out among other travel destinations in an increasingly crowded market as travel restrictions have eased and more destination marketers are seeking their share of American travelers’ attention and budgets.

Praytell handed PR for the campaign, while Initiative handled paid media.