We love vintage ads—the graphic design, the taglines, the amazing imagery and nostalgia vibes. A lot of interesting ads have been produced over the years promoting Ontario's many charms that are bold, beautiful, fun and sometimes even a little weird. Here are some incredible ads for Ontario communities we'd like to share with you.
A classic. This fine lady's peer pressure has got us sold. A large part of the Ontario government’s tourism marketing strategy throughout the 1940s and 50s was directed at families and individuals who were looking to holiday on one of the province's many, many lakes.
The Canadian Pacific Railway commissioned a number of especially striking promotional posters throughout the 1940s and 50s by some very talented artists. This one beckons visitors to fish in the beautiful French River.
This one's actually the cover of an entire comic book exploring the family vacation opportunities that you and your family could be having, just like Johnny here. Realistic illustrations in that classy 50s style walk kids through the wonders of Ontario, one stop at a time.
Always looking out for people and parks, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources drafted this fella to be a face for their fire safety campaign mid-century. It's bold and eye-catching, and he looks both friendly and serious enough that we don't want to mess with him.
Touring around Lake Superior has captivated vacationers for decades, with good reason. However, prior to 1912, Northern Ontario lacked connecting roads. The construction of the Trans-Canada Highway opened a line for car traffic through Ontario that finally allowed tourists to fully travel this beautiful area, but it took decades to complete. Over the 1950s, the highway along Superior's North Shore was developed in segments, but construction proved difficult due to the rugged, rocky landscape. Wawa didn't have viable roads through the area until that segment of Highway 17 was built in 1960! This vintage postcard memento highlighted the landmarks of the Lake Superior Route after its completion (note that adorable Wawa Goose on the right).
Bold, funky yet classy, this fold-out pamphlet from 1959 put out by the province of Ontario outlines the fishery regulations for world-class fishing in its 33 "Ontario Vacationlands".
There are a few versions of this poster out there, with variations in the title text. It harkens back to pre-1972, when the Department of Lands and Forests became the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Regardless of the exact print date, we have never been so inspired to make sure our coals are cold (sorry, Smokey).
A different approach—appealing to the theatre and antique lovers out there, lovers of nature as well as the urbane, and those who appreciate really nice chairs.
By the 1930s, three out of every four Americans visiting Canada chose Ontario for their vacation, so it followed that by the 40s and 50s, the government sought to market to Americans who wanted an outdoor vacation. This advertising was geared toward families looking for a lakeside getaway as well as individuals who wanted to hunt and fish in Ontario’s forests and streams. Newspapers and magazines throughout the United States began promoting Ontario as “the Lakeland Playground of America".
One of several beautifully illustrated ads released by CN, enticing visitors to get a better view of Ontario's gorgeous lakes by choosing to travel by train.
Some things never change. Ontario, in the 1950s just as today, promoted the bounty of vacation opportunities available to visitors, no matter the season.
A friendly face of Ontario Travel inviting you to find your ideal vacation. This is an example of the print ads placed in publications in the 1950s, complete with a mail-order coupon for ordering a free travel guide.
Since the bulk of Canadian and American tourists arrived by car, the government appealed to them through both images and maps. They showed roads and highways as well as available accommodations for road-trippers and their families, promoting Ontario as an easily accessible wilderness that was also family-friendly.
Ontario has a long legacy of being an incredible destination for hunters from all over the world—an attribute that's been well-promoted over the years using various mediums.
The only natural way to end this would be with this series of gems: promotional videos by Ontario Tourism aired between 1978 and 1992, with a catchy jingle (too catchy?) to take with you. Ontario is yours to discover! Enjoy!
