Tourism Calgary has launched a six-week advertising campaign called 'Colours of Calgary' to attract more visitors from Ontario, particularly Torontonians.
The initiative involved transforming a downtown Toronto subway station with vibrant color palettes and Calgary-themed references, such as 'Friendliest City In the World Yellow' and 'Mmm, Ginger Beef Red.' The campaign, costing over $500,000, aims to showcase Calgary's culture, food scene, and natural beauty to a broader audience.
Laura Carwardine, a local designer from Calgary, praised the effort, noting its connection to her creative background and its visibility on social media.
Jeff Hessel, Tourism Calgary's senior vice-president, emphasized the campaign's goal to increase awareness of Calgary as a premier urban destination.
The project follows a 2025 tourism spending increase of $22 million from Ontario visitors, with Tourism Calgary planning further promotions in Toronto for winter events.
The campaign's success is evident in the surge of Toronto-based traffic to Calgary's tourism website, highlighting its effectiveness in reaching new audiences.
Original title: How Tourism Calgary took over a downtown Toronto subway station
The AI system has determined that this news is clickbait/sensationalist: : The original title uses sensational language like 'took over' to imply a dramatic takeover, which exaggerates the campaign's impact and prioritizes clickbait appeal over factual accuracy. This has coincided with the opinion of the majority of users.