Israel rebrands itself in Toronto

By · August 27, 2008

Israel’s consulate in Toronto has embarked on a public awareness campaign to rebrand the country.

The campaign will use what it calls non-traditional methods aimed at overcoming images of war and conflict by touting the Jewish state’s scientific, cultural and other achievements.

“We have a good product. We just have lousy marketing,” Amir Gissin, Israel’s consul general in Toronto, told about 100 key partners at the recent launch of “Brand Israel.”

Toronto, with its 180,000 Jews and some 200 ethnic minorities, will serve as the project’s testing ground.

The $1 million campaign, using the tagline “Touching Lives - Innovation Israel,” is expected to last at least eight months and will consist of three different billboard and bus shelter advertisements. Each will feature a stylized Star of David logo and highlight three Israeli scientific achievements: a coronary stent, a video pill camera and computer technology.

The campaign is expected eventually to include to newspapers, radio and television.

The non-traditional approach is meant to sell “the ingenuity of Israel within Canada,” Gissin said.