Close, but different is a tourism campaign for Tourisme Abitibi-Témiscamingue, designed to entice Ontario travellers to cross the provincial border into a place that feels both familiar and wonderfully unexpected.

But we didn’t just launch a campaign, we built an entire (questionably scientific) world.

From developing the core concept and brand voice to scripting, producing five delightfully quirky videos, and launching a full website and ad campaign, we brought Close, but different vividly to life.

At the centre of it all is Dr. David DeValdorien: an eccentric explorer devoted to investigating humanity’s oddest cultural contrasts — from the Andes to the chip stands of Northern Québec. His latest research confirms what few have dared to suggest: while Northern Québec and Northern Ontario may look similar on a map, they are, in fact, profoundly, unscientifically, undeniably different.

With a tone that blends nature documentary with deadpan comedy, the campaign repositions the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region as a quirkier, more accessible, and refreshingly bookable alternative to Ontario’s overcrowded parks and perpetually sold-out campsites. It’s tourism marketing with a wink, and a reminder that adventure (and seriously good poutine) might be closer than you think.