Skip to main content

Leandra Wells

Whatever happened to "Toronto: You belong here"? That slogan was sheer brilliance. Even today, when I see bumper stickers featuring that slogan, it gives me an incredible sense of pride. Nothing summarizes what differentiates us and why we love our city more than that phrase. I love being a Torontonian, and that's exactly why; not because it has no limits -- whatever that means.

Michael Spiar

I believe that playing up the city's multiculturalism is a good idea, and one thing I liked about the spontaneous "Toronto: You belong here," campaign was how its logo could be adapted to show different scenes reflecting different parts of the city.

In each ad published, the slogan should simply be "Toronto: Welcome home," printed in whichever font best reflects the point of that ad. Chinatown might be in Oriental-style font with pictures of that neighbourhood underneath. An ad focusing on our museums could use a stately, dignified font. I believe such a campaign would show potential tourists this city is adaptable and versatile.

Robin Alter

I was heartened to read that I'm not the only one who was offended by Toronto Unlimited. I heard it on the radio as I was driving past a store on Avenue Road called Shirts Unlimited and I thought, that can't be the best they could come up with. I think we should demand a refund.

I'm offering an idea I have to give CBC's Andy Barrie credit for: "Toronto: The bridge between cultures." Think of the possibilities for visuals with that. And, the best part is it actually says something that is true. We are the bridge between cultures.

Loretta Bennion

Toronto Unlimited does not create a mental image. It is too abstract a concept and makes one think of business rather than pleasure. The slogan needs to instantly create an image in the mind.

"Toronto: City of festivals" creates that image -- one of music, fun and interaction with other people. I suggest consulting with a couple of artists and poets rather than the "brightest minds in marketing."

Dan Yashinsky

Many of the unique things about our city take a long story to explain. The signs at our parks that flabbergast American tourists by saying "Please walk on the grass" . . . the polite waiting for the light to turn green, even if there's no traffic . . . that quintessentially Toronto road sign over on Scarlett Road that says "Excessive horn-blowing prohibited."

Not to mention Church Street on a hot summer night, or the beautiful 70-year-old woman dancing at Caribana, or Kensington Market, or the almost-invisible gargoyle at Vaughan Road and St. Clair Avenue, or the seven lost rivers running underneath our unfortunately mediocre acres of concrete.

Even our name, which some people say means "meeting place" in Huron and others claim is "place where there's a fish weir in the water" in Mohawk, conjures a long story.

It's no accident that Toronto has given birth to 1,001 Friday Nights of Storytelling, the longest-running adult storytelling series in the world. Our soul lives in our stories. Our branders and marketers and tourism experts haven't caught on yet.The truth is that, without a trace of excessive horn-blowing, Toronto has become the world capital of storytelling. "Toronto: Long story."

Wilfred A. Day

In my experience, people only go to Toronto to attend meetings, study, shop, visit friends and family, or show their foreign relatives the view from the CN Tower. But never in 62 years have I heard anyone say, "Let's spend our holidays in Toronto this year." I mean, who would ever say that? What am I missing here? Why doesn't Toronto promote to Torontonians?

Cathy Schaffter

My logo suggestion is Toronto spelled in a rainbow of colours. The message of Toronto is thus literally spelled out -- shown, not told -- that we are a rainbow city twice over: gay-positive and with people of every colour, creed and ethnicity living harmoniously together. Marion E. Raycheba and Frank O'Hara

Here are our suggestions for a new Toronto tourism slogan: "See Toronto. See the world."

"Toronto the good . . . Toronto the best."

"Toronto: Multi-ethnic, multi-fun."

Martha Gould

The Toronto Unlimited campaign is horrible. My suggestion is "Toronto: The gathering place." I think this is the sense of the original native word, and Toronto gathers people, ideas and artifacts into a constantly changing, exciting environment.

M. Shemansky

In the spirit of Live Aid and Live 8, how about, "Toronto: We are the world."

Nathalie Prézeau

I would create a massive photo contest among Torontonians with an invitation to emphasize the beautiful and surprising nooks and crannies of the city and the character of it neighbourhoods and people. The outcome would be gorgeous coffee-table books, postcards, and posters with mosaics of pictures.

Emma Aiken

Here's my slogan: "Toronto: We think we're the best."

Patrick O'Neill

I have some great ideas for Toronto's tourism campaign.

"Toronto: The city that tries too hard."

"Toronto: America-lite."

"Toronto: World-class wannabe."

"Toronto: Give us political correctness or give us death!"

"Toronto: The city that never woke up."

Jason Shine

My idea or catchphrase: "What in the world are you looking for? Find it in Toronto."

The logo would simply be the word Toronto and the three O's would be geographic views of the globe as it turns. The commercial: A lost van-load of tourists asks a roadside fruit vendor how to get where they need to go. He answers, "That depends -- what in the world are you looking for?"

Each of the passengers gives a different answer -- fine dining, musicals, a baseball game and hot dog -- and the vendor, without hesitation, says you'll find it in Toronto.

Barry Novak

The attraction of Toronto as a tourist destination is that it is a city with first-world underpinnings and third-world neighbourhoods. The visitor can construct their own Toronto from among these pieces.

Slogans that reflect this: "Toronto: The world is here," "Toronto: Diversity loves company," "Toronto: As you like it."

Leigh Anne Williams

What is exciting about Toronto is its diversity. How about this: "Toronto: Where the world comes together." And we could use that fabulous riff from the Beatles: "Come together, right now. . ."

I gave this suggestion to someone doing a survey on Bloor Street last summer, but I guess it didn't go far.

Michael Greason

Obviously the Toronto slogan should be "COTU," which stands, of course, for "Centre of the universe."

However, in all seriousness, I think a Canadian campaign, with the self-mocking aspect abundantly clear, based on "COTU" could be funny.

Catherine Seton

Here's my idea: "Toronto: We say you're welcome."

Follow with stories that riff on the many meanings here: Torontonians are polite; Toronto welcomes people from all over the world to live there; Toronto embraces diversity in all its forms; Toronto has given the world many famous people, events and discoveries; Toronto has its doors open to tourists, businesses and artists. And so on.

Interact with The Globe