H
|
|
|
Wanted: World-class nickname for Toronto
- Thread starter taal
- Start date
Mystic Point
Active Member
taal
Senior Member
I can't really see how a nick name would pop up naturally. We've already got a few that are rooted in history and are as natural as they get i.e.:
Hog Town ...
There's more along those lines.
In the end this doesn't really matter.
What we need is a good (very good) foreign advertising campaign to draw tourist to Toronto. Typically such adds don't make use of nick names, however, slogans are heavily used.
So the real question is what "slogan" best represents Toronto?
jn_12
Senior Member
Forcing a nickname upon your city is no different than giving yourself a nickname. They just happen. We have a bunch of nicknames already (as mentioned), we just don't seem to a) like them and b) think they're marketable.
Fact is, the people who think nicknames actually do anything for tourism are the same people who refuse to pour money into attractions that actually would have an impact on the industry. It's a cheap way out (although, even then we've managed to spend a lot of money on Toronto Unlimited).
To be honest, the best marketing I've ever seen for tourism in this province is the recent "there's no place like this" Ontario ads and the classic Marineland jingle. Both have slogans ("There's no place like this" and "Everyone loves Marineland!") but they're not the reason people would travel there. Both ads do a good job of portraying what's being offered both visually and through the lyrics.
I think what we need to do is invest in tourism attractions that double as cultural institutions that benefit Torontonians. Kill two birds with one stone. Then you heavily market them to the middle and upper classes in the US who probably aren't affected significantly by the recession. This is short term. Once the economy is back on its feet and those people are more inclined to return to the Parises and Londons of the world for vacations, you start marketing to the rest of the population saying things like "you don't have to leave your car to go to a foreign and exotic country." Then you start talking about how we have not just a Canadian culture with neat museums you can take your kids to see but we have other cultures you don't need to traverse oceans to see as well. Tell people they can go to Italy, Portugal and China in one day. That's kinda cool to someone who lives in Nowhereville Ohio.
At this point if you want a slogan then fine. Every brand has a slogan for the most part. But you certainly don't need a nickname to achieve any of the above.
Fact is, the people who think nicknames actually do anything for tourism are the same people who refuse to pour money into attractions that actually would have an impact on the industry. It's a cheap way out (although, even then we've managed to spend a lot of money on Toronto Unlimited).
To be honest, the best marketing I've ever seen for tourism in this province is the recent "there's no place like this" Ontario ads and the classic Marineland jingle. Both have slogans ("There's no place like this" and "Everyone loves Marineland!") but they're not the reason people would travel there. Both ads do a good job of portraying what's being offered both visually and through the lyrics.
I think what we need to do is invest in tourism attractions that double as cultural institutions that benefit Torontonians. Kill two birds with one stone. Then you heavily market them to the middle and upper classes in the US who probably aren't affected significantly by the recession. This is short term. Once the economy is back on its feet and those people are more inclined to return to the Parises and Londons of the world for vacations, you start marketing to the rest of the population saying things like "you don't have to leave your car to go to a foreign and exotic country." Then you start talking about how we have not just a Canadian culture with neat museums you can take your kids to see but we have other cultures you don't need to traverse oceans to see as well. Tell people they can go to Italy, Portugal and China in one day. That's kinda cool to someone who lives in Nowhereville Ohio.
At this point if you want a slogan then fine. Every brand has a slogan for the most part. But you certainly don't need a nickname to achieve any of the above.
Tewder
Senior Member
I think a strong approach would be to link Toronto closely with Niagara Falls, Stratford and Cottage Country in tourism marketing so that people get the sense of there being a full package of things to do here to make it worth the drive or flight. Each element strengthens the other, and in terms of international recognition Niagara is actually stronger than Toronto. Toronto should be its 'gateway' so to speak, sort of like Vegas with the Grand Canyon.
Obviously a major attraction in the city would also help but those don't just spring up even when planned to do so. Who knows what will capture the attention of tourists abroad? Another aquarium? Another theme park? Probably not. I think a waterfront-centred Olympics would truly be the opportunity to put the city on the map in a way that Sidney did, and even more so considering how close Toronto is to major US metropolitan areas.
Obviously a major attraction in the city would also help but those don't just spring up even when planned to do so. Who knows what will capture the attention of tourists abroad? Another aquarium? Another theme park? Probably not. I think a waterfront-centred Olympics would truly be the opportunity to put the city on the map in a way that Sidney did, and even more so considering how close Toronto is to major US metropolitan areas.
OttoSchloss
Active Member
Tewder
Senior Member
Toronto, where the streets are paved with asphalt.
Mystic Point
Active Member
Toronto. The Town That Fun Forgot.
Torontovibe
Senior Member
We need to upgrade the streets of this city (like burying overhead wires and replacing ugly street poles) and improve our tourist attractions, like Ontario Place. Where is this so called "creativity" our mayor talks about? We need some creativity in our street design, with unique street lights, garbage bins, phone booths, benches and any other kind of street furniture.
Building new attractions like an aquarium, museum of Toronto or a museum of modern art, would do a lot more for Toronto tourism, than a lame nickname and ad campaign. We need to invest in the city, not just to improve tourism but for the benefit of all Torontonians. (or the ones who actually give a crap)
An Asian style night market would be interesting and useful. Where is the diversity in street food we keep hearing about? I want to buy a beef knish on the streets of Toronto!
Yeah, and let's have a little crazy fun! (extended drinking hours maybe)
Building new attractions like an aquarium, museum of Toronto or a museum of modern art, would do a lot more for Toronto tourism, than a lame nickname and ad campaign. We need to invest in the city, not just to improve tourism but for the benefit of all Torontonians. (or the ones who actually give a crap)
An Asian style night market would be interesting and useful. Where is the diversity in street food we keep hearing about? I want to buy a beef knish on the streets of Toronto!
Yeah, and let's have a little crazy fun! (extended drinking hours maybe)
Last edited:
urbanboom
Active Member
Oh come on MP! I thought that you at least would have some love for this city. It's as close to your socialistic paradise as you get in North America.
ps. have you been posting on the Toronto Star comment section? I'm pretty sure I've heard that one with all of the other complainers...
I for one kinda like it here. I guess that's the reason why I live here... But I guess in the dreary winter months one needs to be reminded. This thread over at SSC might be one of the greatest showcases of the city I've ever seen.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=794468
nfitz
Superstar
You don't get to choose your nickname! It chooses you ...
Besides we got one ... T.O.
Besides we got one ... T.O.
H
Hydrogen
Guest
I can't really see how a nick name would pop up naturally. We've already got a few that are rooted in history and are as natural as they get i.e.:
Hog Town ...
There's more along those lines.
In the end this doesn't really matter.
What we need is a good (very good) foreign advertising campaign to draw tourist to Toronto. Typically such adds don't make use of nick names, however, slogans are heavily used.
So the real question is what "slogan" best represents Toronto?
Let's see.
The thread's about "wanting" a nickname. That sounds like the search for a new nickname for marketing purposes.
By "naturally" I mean that it is a nickname that bubbles up from the populace, and is not a product of a marketing committee.
A nickname is not a slogan. They are two very different things.
urbandreamer
recession proof
Toronto has many nicknames, it just depends what language you speak or what ethnic group you belong to.
scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
Those numbers are wrong since they're not comparing anything close to the same thing. Toronto's figure is for the entire Toronto CMA, while Miami's is just for the 400,000 or so people in the city of Miami (including Miami's millions of suburban residents would drop Miami's figure to about 36%). The City of Miami is largely a Hispanic ghetto and Miami's suburbs are mostly white middle class native born folks. Toronto's suburbs, however, are just as if not more foreign-born and diverse than the central city. If our extremely diverse population was ghettoized into ethnic pockets like many other cities in the world, at least we'd have something exploitable for tourist purposes that we could maybe get a nickname out of...
Here's a neat map of Toronto's languages (directly related to place of birth): http://www3.thestar.com/static/PDF/20071230_ID06.pdf
H
Hydrogen
Guest
That's Ottawa.