Selling Canadiana
After the Second World War and into the early 1960s, automobile manufacturers relied upon iconic Canadian landscapes and cultural references to promote automobiles to Canadian consumers. These advertisements featured an imagined Canada in which the car was integral to a life of hockey, family road trips, and outdoor winter adventures.
Selling Canadiana
Volkswagen Beetle
In 1960, the Volkswagen Beetle was Canada’s third best-selling car. A Volkswagen Beetle on busy Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario. Volkswagen Beetle brochure, 1969. Collection of the Canadian Automotive Museum.
After the Second World War and into the early 1960s, automobile manufacturers relied upon iconic Canadian landscapes and cultural references to promote automobiles to Canadian consumers. These advertisements featured an imagined Canada in which the car was integral to a life of hockey, family road trips, and outdoor winter adventures.
Many cars built and sold in Canada were modified versions of U.S. models altered specifically for the smaller Canadian market. Unique design features exclusive to these cars set them apart from their American counterparts, making them “Canadianized” vehicles. Later in the 20th century, as a greater number of foreign-built cars entered the market, advertisers continued to use Canadian imagery – from coastal villages to urban centres and mountain passes – to connect with customers.
1959 Meteor
Promotional image of a Meteor, 1959. Collection of the Canadian Automotive Museum.
1965 Volvo Canadian
In 1963 Volvo of Sweden set up its first overseas assembly plant in Dartmouth, N.S. The plant, which later moved to Halifax, produced the signature Volvo Canadian during the 1960s and early 1970s.Cover of a Volvo Canadian brochure, 1965. Collection of the Canadian Automotive Museum.
1959 Meteor
Promotional image of a Meteor Niagara, 1959. Collection of the Canadian Automotive Museum.