Travel ads are created to inspire. They are built to be visually appealing and intriguing, but must also maintain a distinct trace of the exotic. The strangeness embedded in travel advertisements arouses curiosity, which in turn seeks to illuminate the reader's sense of adventure. Advertisement co-written by the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Tourism (hereinafter referred to as “NL Tourism”) and Canadian airline WestJet is no exception. What sets this particular ad apart, however, are the elements of delivery dynamics and design that combine harmoniously to sell an idea. The announcement was published in the travel section of The Globe and Mail of Toronto, a newspaper distributed throughout Canada. The publication selection suggests the audience the ad is intended for. It would be fair to infer that readers of The Globe and Mail are quite literate since The Globe often features analysis of issues of international importance. The readers are perhaps also middle-aged, as newspapers are becoming an antiquated medium in society, and are likely to have decent salaries, as the weekend edition of the paper alone costs $3.88. WestJet and NL Tourism target people with healthy discretionary income. This is especially true considering that The Globe is published in Toronto, which is a popular business and financial center in Canada. Even the advertising format, i.e. the last color page, has the aim of attracting attention to the reader and possible onlookers. Finally, the publication date of the announcement is also strategic, Saturday 25 February 2012. It arrives at a time when people may be thinking about summer holidays and trips to visit home. The sunny, placid tone fe... in the center of the card... one-way ticket, but suggests that perhaps a one-way ticket is the only direction the reader needs. The passage in small print correlates to the idea of time zones and escape, further inviting the reader to discover the province. Through tactical positioning of the publication and quality visual aesthetics, advertising cultivates attractiveness. The marketed idea embodies the core concepts of wanderlust: relaxation, exploration, and regression to a simpler state of life. These concepts are promoted as what the reader deserves. Venturing to Newfoundland and the sunshine of Conception Bay should be the reader's priority after seeing the ad. The description of the uniqueness of the place satisfies the impression that Newfoundland and Labrador is unconventional and alluring. Just three hours from Toronto, the secluded bay awaits your arrival.
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