Cossette Shows the Yukon Is 'A Different World in Canada' with Tourism Campaign

Pre-pandemic research by the Tourism Yukon and Cossette team revealed an important motivator for Canadian visitors choosing the territory for their next travel destination: travellers enjoy that they can visit the Yukon and experience a completely different world that’s off-the-beaten-path, without ever having to leave the country. As the world slowly opens back up again, Tourism Yukon is hoping to capitalise on the pent-up demand for unique travel experiences by highlighting the Yukon as a safe, easily accessible destination that’s close to home.

“We know that Canadians do want to see and experience more of Canada, but they’re often drawn to visiting foreign destinations first, and the pandemic has intensified that,” says Hon. Ranj Pillai, Yukon’s Minister of Tourism and Culture. “We wanted to tap into the appeal of a trip that offers distinct and exciting cultural experiences that might feel foreign to some, but are close to home and entirely Canadian.” 

The team’s research also revealed that while Canadians want to experience more of their country, they’re more drawn towards international travel. Simply put: Canadians see travelling within Canada as something they will do someday, but not someday soon. And with international travel restrictions easing, it was especially important to amplify the Yukon’s position as a destination that offers Canadians out of this world experiences without having to leave the country.

“The primary target audience for the Yukon are learners – people who are defined by travel and enriched by exploring new and off-the-beaten path places,” says Robyn Smith, VP and GM at Cossette in Vancouver. “We know that the pandemic has intensified Canadians’ desire for travel and adventure, so we’re tapping into that by showing potential visitors that they can experience something completely different from their everyday life without needing to dust off their passport.”

The distinctive collage-style creative, created by digital collage artist Julien Pacaud, stands out in the destination marketing category, reinforcing the Yukon’s unique cultural identity while highlighting the many micro experiences that make the territory a different world within Canada.

“Most tourism campaigns centre around montages of landscapes and scenery, leaving it up to potential travellers to do their own research about what to do and see in a particular destination,” says Scott Schneider, creative director at Cossette. “We wanted to create something that was as unique as the Yukon itself and that could easily be adapted to showcase different trip experiences to appeal to different types of travellers. The illustrative collage style is visually arresting and gives us the opportunity to speak to the places and spaces of the Yukon.”