"Providing Emotions Since 1534": the Politics of Visibility in Quebec's Tourism Brand (Report‪)‬

Introduction In the spring of 2006, the Quebec Ministry of Tourism launched a $5.3 million international advertising campaign (Varin). In most respects the campaign was unexceptional. In its various iterations, from brochures to radio and television commercials to outdoor billboards, its colorful images and hyper-promotional texts paraded the activities and events one sees in most tourism campaigns for the vast majority of places throughout the world. Shopping, fine dining, heritage sites, festivals, resorts, outdoor adventures: these are the categories that extensive market research has indicated international visitors are likely to want to spend their time and tourism dollars on, and which form the backbone of most countries' tourism revenue. (2) Only one aspect of this particular campaign set it apart. Amid the images of snow-capped mountains, the Chateau Frontenac, and couples sipping wine in trendy Montreal restaurants was the trademarked tagline, "Providing Emotions since 1534" ("Fournisseur d'emotions depuis 1534"). (3)