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Our ever-friendly neighbor to the north, Canada has been grabbing its fair share of the global headlines lately. Let\u2019s take a second to appreciate the distinctive Canadian flavor of these TV ads from five different decades, courtesy of the AdLand archives.<\/p>\n
A&W – Meaty Frothy Juicy \/ Jingle – (1981) :30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nWhen I was 10 years old, I ate my first-ever corndog nugget at an A&W in St. Louis, Mo. When I made my first trip to Toronto this year, I discovered this Canadian franchise has achieved Starbucks-level ubiquity on practically every street corner in the country. I\u2019m pretty sure it can credit all its success to this 1980s jingle:<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/aw-meaty-frothy-juicy-jingle-1981-30-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nCanadian Nuclear Association – “Where’s Your Rain Coat?” (1991) :30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nSpeaking of my childhood, remember when we were really concerned about acid rain in the ’80s and ’90s? Since no one ever mentions it anymore, I assume this ad from the Canadian Nuclear Association took care of the problem.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/canadian-nuclear-association-wheres-your-rain-coat-1991-30-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nMcDonald’s – Beard – (2008) :30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nYou know you\u2019re at a McDonald\u2019s in Canada when you see the little red maple leaf on the company’s golden arches logo. That, and the fact that they\u2019re putting hockey trading cards in the Happy Meals.<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/mcdonalds-beard-2008-30-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nMolson Canadian – The Beer Fridge (2013) (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nThese days, for various reasons, Canadians are extra proud to be Canadian. But this 2013 Molson ad is a good reminder that Canadian pride isn\u2019t a new phenomenon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/molson-canadian-beer-fridge-2013-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nNew Balance “Not in Canada Anymore” (2015) 1:25 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nSpeaking of Canadian pride: If you\u2019re an American visiting Canada these days, I\u2019d avoid making any \u201c51st state\u201d jokes if you know what\u2019s good for you. That said, a decade ago, New Balance garnered attention for its exclusive Canadian shoe line by giving a free pair to everyone in Canada\u2014Canada, Kansas, that is.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/new-balance-not-canada-anymore-2015-125-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nCanada Is Sorry (2019)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nDid you know that Canadian politeness is so ubiquitous that Ontario had to pass an \u201cApology Act\u201d in 2009? From a legal perspective, the act indicates that apologies made by a person does not necessarily constitute an admission of guilt. With that in mind, the Canadian Bureau of Foreign Apologies in this 2019 ad seems only mildly satirical.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/canada-sorry\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nToys\u201dR\u201dUs Canada (2022)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nWhen Toys\u201dR\u201dUs shut its doors in the U.S. in 2018, my then-7-year-old declared her childhood was over. You can imagine her delight when, on our first trip to Toronto, her 13-year-old self discovered that Toys\u201dR\u201dUs is alive and well\u2014and committed to maintaining the health and wellbeing of our imaginary friends.<\/p>\n
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Canadian Nuclear Association – “Where’s Your Rain Coat?” (1991) :30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nSpeaking of my childhood, remember when we were really concerned about acid rain in the ’80s and ’90s? Since no one ever mentions it anymore, I assume this ad from the Canadian Nuclear Association took care of the problem.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/canadian-nuclear-association-wheres-your-rain-coat-1991-30-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nMcDonald’s – Beard – (2008) :30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nYou know you\u2019re at a McDonald\u2019s in Canada when you see the little red maple leaf on the company’s golden arches logo. That, and the fact that they\u2019re putting hockey trading cards in the Happy Meals.<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/mcdonalds-beard-2008-30-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nMolson Canadian – The Beer Fridge (2013) (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nThese days, for various reasons, Canadians are extra proud to be Canadian. But this 2013 Molson ad is a good reminder that Canadian pride isn\u2019t a new phenomenon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/molson-canadian-beer-fridge-2013-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nNew Balance “Not in Canada Anymore” (2015) 1:25 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nSpeaking of Canadian pride: If you\u2019re an American visiting Canada these days, I\u2019d avoid making any \u201c51st state\u201d jokes if you know what\u2019s good for you. That said, a decade ago, New Balance garnered attention for its exclusive Canadian shoe line by giving a free pair to everyone in Canada\u2014Canada, Kansas, that is.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/new-balance-not-canada-anymore-2015-125-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nCanada Is Sorry (2019)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nDid you know that Canadian politeness is so ubiquitous that Ontario had to pass an \u201cApology Act\u201d in 2009? From a legal perspective, the act indicates that apologies made by a person does not necessarily constitute an admission of guilt. With that in mind, the Canadian Bureau of Foreign Apologies in this 2019 ad seems only mildly satirical.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/canada-sorry\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nToys\u201dR\u201dUs Canada (2022)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nWhen Toys\u201dR\u201dUs shut its doors in the U.S. in 2018, my then-7-year-old declared her childhood was over. You can imagine her delight when, on our first trip to Toronto, her 13-year-old self discovered that Toys\u201dR\u201dUs is alive and well\u2014and committed to maintaining the health and wellbeing of our imaginary friends.<\/p>\n
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Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/canadian-nuclear-association-wheres-your-rain-coat-1991-30-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n You know you\u2019re at a McDonald\u2019s in Canada when you see the little red maple leaf on the company’s golden arches logo. That, and the fact that they\u2019re putting hockey trading cards in the Happy Meals.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/mcdonalds-beard-2008-30-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n These days, for various reasons, Canadians are extra proud to be Canadian. But this 2013 Molson ad is a good reminder that Canadian pride isn\u2019t a new phenomenon.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/molson-canadian-beer-fridge-2013-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Speaking of Canadian pride: If you\u2019re an American visiting Canada these days, I\u2019d avoid making any \u201c51st state\u201d jokes if you know what\u2019s good for you. That said, a decade ago, New Balance garnered attention for its exclusive Canadian shoe line by giving a free pair to everyone in Canada\u2014Canada, Kansas, that is.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/new-balance-not-canada-anymore-2015-125-canada\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Did you know that Canadian politeness is so ubiquitous that Ontario had to pass an \u201cApology Act\u201d in 2009? From a legal perspective, the act indicates that apologies made by a person does not necessarily constitute an admission of guilt. With that in mind, the Canadian Bureau of Foreign Apologies in this 2019 ad seems only mildly satirical.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Watch It:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>https:\/\/adland.tv\/canada-sorry\/<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n When Toys\u201dR\u201dUs shut its doors in the U.S. in 2018, my then-7-year-old declared her childhood was over. You can imagine her delight when, on our first trip to Toronto, her 13-year-old self discovered that Toys\u201dR\u201dUs is alive and well\u2014and committed to maintaining the health and wellbeing of our imaginary friends.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nMcDonald’s – Beard – (2008) :30 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
Molson Canadian – The Beer Fridge (2013) (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
New Balance “Not in Canada Anymore” (2015) 1:25 (Canada)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
Canada Is Sorry (2019)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
Toys\u201dR\u201dUs Canada (2022)<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n