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August 2008 - Strategy Magazine
Creative

NL Tourism gets "real" on the Gardiner

by Annette Bourdeau
page 18

Commuters along Toronto's busy Gardiner Expressway have had something unusual to look at while stuck in gridlocked traffic lately. St. John's-based Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism commissioned artist Cam Mahy to paint a calm-inducing coastal scene to get Torontonians thinking about an eastern getaway. Mahy spent three weeks crafting his masterpiece .

"Most people see the superboard as a static medium. Instead, we looked at it as a canvas - like a story that reveals itself as it goes along," says Noel O'Dea, president and director of strategic & creative planning at St. John's-based Target, adding that this is the latest execution building on the popular "Fresh Air" platform.

"The billboard was painted by a human, as opposed to being a digital vinyl panel," O'Dea continues. "It's a very good metaphor for Newfoundland itself, because it's an authentic, organic place rather than a plastic, manufactured one."

The painting also reinforces the province's creativity. "We're a culture rich with artistic talent," says Carmela Murphy, director of tourism marketing for Newfoundland's tourism, culture and recreation department. "The idea of actually painting a billboard really stands out and grabs attention." Murphy adds that the location was also a very strategic decision. "We're hitting people at a time when they're stuck in gridlocked traffic, and very receptive to the idea of getting away," she says.

The highway art will be up until mid-August.

advertiser: Carmela Murphy, director, tourism marketing,

Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism

agency: Target

CD: Tom Murphy

ADs: James Jung, Jessica Tipping

copywriter: Jenny Smith

painter: Cam Mahy

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