Apparently, we Americans aren’t the only ones still leery about the recovering economy, but our Canadian neighbors are seeing the silver lining. According to Royal Bank of Canada’s Consumer Outlook Index, 67% of Canadians believe the overall outlook for the economy is good – up from 54% the last quarter. On the flip side, only 55% said they expect Canada’s economy to improve over the next year – down by two points from March.
- Canadian Consumers See Dark Clouds with Silver Linings
- Media and Ad Outlook Brighter in Canada than U.S., PWC Report
From an advertising standpoint, international advertisers are stepping up their creativity. From beer advertisers to BlackBerry, Sun Chips to Dentyne gum, innovation abounds. Here are just a few examples, read more at the links below.
- To promote the “World’s Most Expensive BlackBerry,” encrusted with 4,459 brilliant cut diamonds, flower designers Blue and Blooms used a gold ink that was applied to red rose petals.

- Dutch beer company, Grolsch, believes that everyone, no matter when or where, should have a cool beer within reach. To make this possible, the brand launched the Cool Hotlines and traversed the Netherlands trading warm beers for cold Grolsch ones. After a call to the hotline, consumers could expect a visit from a small moped with a refrigerator sidecar that would deliver cold beer to wherever they were.

- Taxi, Sun Chips Win Big at 2010 Marketing Awards
- Consumers Get Mouth to Mouth in New Dentyne Campaign
- Canadian Ads Take Over the New Yorker
- Amsterdam Abandons the 30-Second Spot
- Busted Bobbleheads Deliver Safety Message for Labatt
Finally, unless you’ve lived under a rock for the last two months, you know that the World Cup has taken center stage around the world. While soccer is still growing in popularity in the US, it’s interesting to know how other countries around the world react to the World Cup. In Brazil, the country practically shuts down – businesses and schools are closed and elective surgery put off so people can be in front of a TV. But no country seems to take their love further than South Korea – Home Plus, a retailer, is reporting a 168% increase n sales of adult diapers.







