Lumberjacks, curlers and hockey players: how marketers see Canadians

What does it mean to be a Canadian? Our country is a large, diverse one – and academics often have a difficult time defining just what constitutes a "Canadian identity." But one group has no problem attempting to define us — marketers. 

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Let's see what this 1979 American ad for Labatt's can teach us about life in the Great White North.

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Nothing too surprising there: fishing, campfires, and a whole lot of plaid. The rugged lumberjack stereotype has been a big part of Canadian beer marketing for years.

But you might be surprised to learn how a 2013 Molson ad characterized Canadians.

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Not a lumberjack in sight. But where exactly did all of those wild and crazy partiers come from?

And while the "hoser" stereotype has become less pervasive, marketers today have shown they aren't afraid to have a little fun with the idea of a "typical" Canadian. Here's a 2010 Tim Hortons ad that playfully points out what Canadians are not.

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As you can see, beer and coffee companies have no difficulty coming up with their own twist on a national identity. And perhaps because many of those marketers work for foreign-owned breweries and chains, they're acutely aware of how Canadians feel when foreigners tell us what we're like. Case in point:

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Brands frequently differentiate and celebrate what it means to be Canadian because it makes them seem like one of us.

When a brand goes to all the trouble of understanding an insignificant little nation like us and reflecting our stereotypic habits back to us, maybe the only polite response is to buy the product. 

Bruce Chambers is a syndicated advertising columnist for CBC Radio.