Good things gro ow ow in Ontario

Over the past while we've seen some 'retro' advertising as old television spots are reprised to appeal to those of us who remember them. For example: the 'two scoops of raisins' lumberjack, the 'gouda' ad with the young boy who forgets what cheese he was sent to buy, or the Chef Boyardee ad featuring kids running through the town square while church bells ring. Most of us remember these ads from childhood and now that we're feeding other generations, they appeal to our sense of nostalgia and harken back to what we remember as a simpler time... and apparently they work.

A similar approach is being used with a new version of the old jingle "Good things grow ow ow, in Ontario" that ran in the seventies and eighties. Today's ad features a farmer singing the song (not so well) over the loudspeaker in a grocery store. It's an ok ad, but again it's the fact that we remember the jingle that makes it so effective. And once you hear the song, of course, you can't get it out of your head for days! It's a campaign by the Ontario government to promote buying Ontario's fresh food products, wines and beers. It's timely as it reinforces the 'buy local' message that is now gaining in popularity.

And speaking of good things that grow, Bret, Jill, Claire, Aleah and I went blueberry picking last week. It was spectacular as the weather was great and the berries were perfect. It was my first time, and it turned out to be quite enjoyable. The best part is we now have enough personally picked and transported fresh blueberries in the freezer to last through til next year. You can't get much more local than that.