Many U.S.-based companies and media agencies with intentions to start doing business in Canada don’t fully appreciate the differences between the two countries. They wrongly assume that an advertising strategy that has been successful in the U.S. can and should be applied to Canada. The justification for this point of view often involves the countries’ close proximity and economic interconnections, as well as the fact that Canadians and Americans consume much of the same media content. Some have gone as far as calling Canadians “disarmed Americans with healthcare”. It’s true: Canada and the U.S. are geographically and economically entwined. But they are also culturally distinct in several ways. When it comes to media, Canadians have unique consumption habits. Companies that understand the small – but important – differences between Canadian and American consumer attitudes will reap the benefits. Let’s start with the differences between Canadian and American media consumption.

1. www.media-corps.com/canada

2. –
“ ”

3. •
•
•

4. “
”
•
•
•

5. –
•
•
•
•
“
”
“
”
“ ”
“
”

6. •
’
•

7. –
…

10. 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000
Food
Household operation
Clothing & Accessories
Transportation
Healthcare
Personal Care
Recreation
Household Spending Habits
US Canada

11. –
•
•
•
–

12. •
•
•
’
’

13. ’
•
•
•

14. –
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

18. •
•
• –
•
•