Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism’s 2025 campaign, “The Reason,” is appealing to visitors seeking more meaningful travel experiences that run deeper than anything on a travel itinerary. The campaign, which was developed by long-time creative agency Target, launched on Jan. 20 with a 60-second nationwide TV spot that focuses on people.
TJ Arch, creative director at Target, tells strategy the campaign bucks travel and tourism industry trends that typically promote endless things to see and do. And while Newfoundland Labrador has that in spades – see: whale watching, icebergs and coastal hikes – this year’s spot was “very directly shaped” by what NL tourism hears time and time again from its consumers.
“Ask anyone who has visited Newfoundland and Labrador,” Arch says. “They’ll tell you how beautiful it is. They’ll tell you about whales or icebergs. But the first thing they’ll tell you about is the people… People are central to this year’s campaign but expanding from there, it’s about meaningful travel. We have years of audience research that confirms that travellers want authentic cultural experiences and real human connection.”
Along with TV, the 2025 campaign includes extensive digital and social, as well as full-page print and targeted out-of-home ads. More campaign elements will launch throughout the year, including a digital experience.
NL Tourism’s 2024 campaign, “The Welcome Desk: A Closer Look,” featured long-form digital videos that gave visitors a closer look at puffins, whales and icebergs.
One of the secrets to the success of the brand’s advertising is “radical consistency,” Arch says.
“We have always rejected the urge to reinvent ourselves every year with a new identity and new tagline,” he adds. “That is not to say we don’t innovate or keep things fresh; we absolutely do. But each year the goal is to stand out and fit in… Our first job is to get noticed, so ‘standing out’ means creating advertising that differentiates against the competition and resonates with our audience. But we must do it in a way that stays true to the brand and ‘fit in’ with the body of work of years past.”