Around the world, tourism companies are facing unprecedented challenges*: connecting and staying in touch with their customers, increasing their online presence and seizing new opportunities to sustain their business through inspiring and memorable digital campaigns.

In response to this desire for freedom and a return to “normality”, Braque invited Canadians to reunite in an inspiring digital campaign designed for its client, Choice Hotels Canada.

In the summer of 2021, with vaccinations on the rise and travel restrictions beginning to ease, Braque and Choice Hotels Canada felt that Canadians were ready to reconnect with friends and family while rediscovering the beauty of their country.

“The point of this campaign was twofold: to be a breath of fresh air for Canadians who have been deprived of travel and to send them a message from all of our hospitality professionals: We’re happy to welcome you back! “says Julie Chan-McConnell, Senior Director of Strategy and Business Performance at Choice Hotels Canada.

The campaign invited Canadians to go on an adventure and also allowed Choice Hotels Canada to connect with its audience on an emotional level by creating a sense of closeness with the brand. “This campaign is tied to an emotion, a moment in time – a unique opportunity for our client to reconnect with their guests as they reconnect with their country and their loved ones,” adds Jean-Marc Demers, President and CEO of Braque.

The campaign included 30-second and 60-second video spots that ran on mobile and desktop, social media and lobby screens at Choice Hotels locations across Canada.

The month-long campaign was a great success. Unique full video views were nearly double the original goal. The View Through Rate was 9% higher than the industry average on DynAdmic Networks and 10% higher on YouTube.

* In 2021, global tourism grew by 4% compared to 2020 (415 million vs. 400 million). However, international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) remained 72% lower than in 2019, the pre-pandemic year, according to UNWTO’s initial estimates. These numbers follow a 2020 that will have been the worst year in tourism history, marked by a 73% drop in international arrivals.