As with every travel and tourism video ads you need big visuals. The beginning of the new ad for Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, by the agency Target, St. Johns, does just that. A gorgeous visual of “The Rock,” hugged by a winding seaside road, and one sole biker powering into the morning lead off the commercial. The iconic landscape shot of Newfoundland and Labrador is key to setting up the rest of the commercial—minus snow and ice (although we don’t actually know this is Newfoundland and Labrador until later on).

This rock is what the rest of Canada, and North America, knows the Newfoundland and Labrador countryside to be. Yes, I’m taking a big leap here, but it’s a stereotype, and something that the viewer can associate their working knowledge of Newfoundland to, albeit with a slight change (it’s a warmer image than we’re used to). But stereotypes are not all negative. They can help us relate, they help us understand, and if used properly stereotypes can help to develop a powerful story.

Bringing the next shot tighter, the viewer gets a sense that the story is about this lone rider. The biker and the countryside immediately set up a few questions: where is the biker riding to? and, where in the world is he/she? The creative draws you in to the beginning of this lone rider’s day, prepping you to tag along on their journey. But the real story starts when we meet the rider. Taking off her helmet, she immediately takes down barriers and sends a message, a welcoming one. Let me explain, using stereotypes:

Newfoundland is an absolutely beautiful place with equally beautiful people, but they (Newfoundlanders) have long been the punch line of many jokes: their from the exiled sister province, the people not even their Canadian brothers and sisters can understand,  they drink too much. It doesn’t help that popular media perpetuates this. Vice ran an article a while back titled, “how to speak, drink, and fight like a newfoundlander”—not really a headline that’s going to attract families. And family tourism is who this commercial speaks to.

A cold place, sparsely populated with a rougher and rugged variety of Canadian people, weathered by years of hard labour and salt water. These aren’t more jabs, but more stereotypes. And with stereotypes their are feelings are attached. Rough and rugged can generate feelings that are opposite of welcoming. One can assume that Newfoundland and Labrador tourism would want to tackle some of these perceptions in order allow for tourism to flourish. And sometimes, when developing a commercial video, stereotypes are the best things for an agency.

Feelings to generate

To bring in family tourism it is important to have the narrative of the commercial generate warm and welcoming feelings. Hence the welcoming looking rider (presumably a tourist). And to make sure this message of warmth and welcome is strengthened, the creative team added a few other elements, the warmest of which are being Newfoundlanders (the dogs). Couple the puppies with a child playing with them and you’ve got an instant “warm and fuzzy” feeling integrated into the storyline. This theme of warmth is carried throughout the commercial.

It’s not all about stereotypes though

Tourism commercials need big visuals, and big colour to support. It’s what we as viewers are accustomed to with tourism commercials. People feel more comfortable with what is familiar.  From the opening scene, to the lone boat motoring through deep blue, to the coves dotted with homes, and the man looking off into a field, they are all epic shots (all of what the viewer expects). And while the subject of each shot is different, and out of context may look harsh or rugged, in a tourism ad they can also be perceived as intriguing.

The power of colour

The other theme that is carried throughout is the contrast of bright, lush greens with deep blues. This can be seen in all of the aforementioned clips. The stunning greens and blues bring about rich feelings but they also symbolize growth. Things grow in welcoming places.

Stories within stories

While it is clear that the main story is of this lone rider passing through the countryside, there are other stories to be told here. We peer through the window to see a child talking with, who we assume to be her grandmother. We see a woman telling a story to a few children. And one of the most powerful images is that of the child running into the forest, taking us along to indulge in some of the secrets of this mystical place—something intriguing is here. We start to get a sense that this commercial is not just about the story of the lone rider.

Curiosity of identity

Many of the stories being told throughout the commercial are being told by people of whom their identity is not shared. This is intentional. It draws the viewer in with curiosity, and it allows their own subtle stereotypes to be brought into the viewing experience. The man with a white beard speaking while holding a lantern, the man looking out to the field, the man speaking with the lone rider. All of these allow the viewer to make inferences into what it is that is actually happening, using their own beliefs and stereotypes to fill in the holes. This is very effective in creating something that is engaging.

The value in a story

Closer to the end of the commercial we begin to see some identities emerge. One of which is the weathered old man presumably telling his tale. The white beard, the cold grey in his eyes, the ship in the photograph behind him, help develop the idea that this is a sailor, and he has tales to tell. Sure enough he does, to the delight of the gentlemen in the following clip, and presumably the lone rider listening in. This is where we really start to see that the story of the rider is not only about her story, but it is also of her experience listening to other peoples’ stories while on her journey. And that’s where the value comes in: “It’s worth the time to listen.” Listening is where the real, authentic experience can be had.

Authenticity through tales… and tall tales

The bobber being pulled into the water sets up the next sequence beautifully. “Fish on!” With fish tales, each time they’re told, they get bigger and bigger, and that’s what they (agency Target, St. Johns) seem to be going after here. Not just the story, but the experience of the story. Authenticity (what we’re all after) is not had only through first hand experience, but it’s by immersing yourself in the culture and learning first hand of experiences had by others.

“Especially the bits they make up.”