I just spent a week on vacation in Montreal and Quebec City. Both are mainly French speaking, with English as a second language as well as any number of other European, Asian and African languages. Upon our return in the U.S., I was relieved to be back in a place where English was the default. But I also missed a few things.
In Canada, everything you buy seems to get about 25% added to the price in taxes. Knowing that Canadians get free government health care, though, made this more palatable for me. I left wishing we would be willing to do the same here in the states.
Another difference: infinitely clean streets, with constant sweeping by public servants and use of trash containers by all. I could only imagine there must have been a huge fine for littering...or else Canadians are just very compliant. (The same goes for jaywalking, by the way...it just doesn't happen. And NOBODY crosses the street unless the light is green, even if no one is coming.)
More enthusiastically interesting design, both in architecture and graphics. The advertising, product design, brochures, posters, interiors and buildings we experienced and saw seemed to have a pervasive sense of clarity, fun, colorfulness and simplicity. Overall, the brand communications didn't seem to take themselves as seriously, making for more brand likability. In other words, these Canuck brands made me smile. So I guess I tended to like them more.
After visiting Montreal's ultra modern convention hall with colored glass walls and a forest of pink plastic tree trunks in the lobby, you just can't help but smile. How can you make your brand communications, your brand identity, and the experience of your brand just a bit friendlier?
In Canada, everything you buy seems to get about 25% added to the price in taxes. Knowing that Canadians get free government health care, though, made this more palatable for me. I left wishing we would be willing to do the same here in the states.
Another difference: infinitely clean streets, with constant sweeping by public servants and use of trash containers by all. I could only imagine there must have been a huge fine for littering...or else Canadians are just very compliant. (The same goes for jaywalking, by the way...it just doesn't happen. And NOBODY crosses the street unless the light is green, even if no one is coming.)
More enthusiastically interesting design, both in architecture and graphics. The advertising, product design, brochures, posters, interiors and buildings we experienced and saw seemed to have a pervasive sense of clarity, fun, colorfulness and simplicity. Overall, the brand communications didn't seem to take themselves as seriously, making for more brand likability. In other words, these Canuck brands made me smile. So I guess I tended to like them more.
After visiting Montreal's ultra modern convention hall with colored glass walls and a forest of pink plastic tree trunks in the lobby, you just can't help but smile. How can you make your brand communications, your brand identity, and the experience of your brand just a bit friendlier?
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