Out of Office: A Billboard-Backed Tourism Campaign Driving Awareness and Engagement in Durham Region
Durham Region is a premier day-trip destination just east of Downtown Toronto, offering a balance of natural beauty, heritage attractions, and vibrant small-town charm. Recognizing that nearly 20% of visitors to Durham’s downtown cores come from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), Durham Tourism identified a key growth opportunity: attracting urban professionals, particularly those aged 25–34. This demographic not only contributes to immediate tourism spending but aligns with broader strategic goals for long-term talent attraction and regional growth.
The “Out of Office” (OOO) campaign was launched to address this opportunity, targeting office workers seeking a reprieve from the fast pace of downtown Toronto life. The creative concept leaned into escapism, showcasing stunning, iconic Durham destinations—such as Parkwood National Historic Site and Brimacombe Ski Resort—as ideal retreats from the city grind.
The campaign was executed through a multi-channel strategy, combining both digital and traditional media. Among the most impactful elements were large-format highway billboards placed along key commuter routes. These placements were deliberately chosen to reach urban professionals during moments of peak receptivity—while stuck in traffic, daydreaming of open space, fresh air, and an escape from the concrete jungle. The billboard creative was visually striking, evoking tranquility and curiosity, with a clear call to explore Durham Region.
Billboards served as a high-visibility awareness driver, complementing digital ads on Meta, LinkedIn, and other platforms. The campaign achieved 2,162,331 impressions and drove 13,632 landing page views. Notably, more than 22% of landing page traffic was organic or search-driven, suggesting a strong brand recall and reinforcing the role that billboard and print placements played in driving interest.
The campaign encouraged users to “Book a Meeting” with Durham Tourism—a playful nod to workplace culture. Those who booked received a digital calendar hold, a curated itinerary, and the option to subscribe to the monthly e-newsletter. This call-to-action led to 1,525 itineraries being emailed and 812 new newsletter signups—indicating meaningful engagement and future marketing opportunities.
The Value of Billboard Advertising
While billboard impact is traditionally harder to track directly, its value lies in its unique ability to build broad awareness and reinforce brand messaging through repeated exposure. In this case, highway billboards were strategically used to meet people where they are—literally. For commuters spending hours daily in traffic, high-quality visuals of serene destinations like Durham offer a compelling mental escape and plant a seed of action. The campaign leveraged this psychological insight to drive curiosity and spur follow-up via search or direct web visits.
Additionally, digital billboards offer sustainability benefits: a non print alternative, they can be reused and rotated. In a crowded digital landscape, outdoor advertising offers a tactile, memorable touchpoint that extends the life and impact of a campaign beyond the screen.
The “Out of Office” campaign exemplifies how creativity, cross-platform strategy, and well-placed traditional media can spark real-world interest and engagement, positioning Durham Region as a must-visit destination within the GTHA.
