Context
Every September, the end of summer in Alberta signals the return of golden-hued scenery, all things cozy and, of course, larch tree season. These high alpine trees look similar to the ubiquitous pines that blanket the Canadian Rockies, with one key exception – they turn a brilliant gold in autumn alongside their evergreen cousins. Through the larch transformation, we wanted to find a way to attract visitors to Alberta in our slower shoulder seasons.
Insight
Alberta’s striking larch transformation happens around the same time as Fall Fashion Week. We saw a chance to position Alberta’s natural colour reveal alongside top fashion houses revealing seasonal colours on the runways of the world.
Execution
The campaign was built around a mysterious new high-end brand called “Larch: couture de nature,” which is later revealed to be Travel Alberta masquerading as a luxury brand. A targeted buy took aim at U.S. travelers through fashion publications such as GQ, Vogue, and Vanity Fair, with high-impact page takeovers and ad placements. An invitation to “explore the fall collection”, led viewers to a landing page showing our iconic larch hikes as well as luxury accommodations and experiences in Alberta.
