Your Alberta Blog

Alberta's branding initiative is all about telling our story to the world.

We've received a lot of positive reaction from branding and marketing experts, from brand ambassadors, from ordinary Albertans. But not a great deal of notice outside Canada, and that which came from within Canada - outside Alberta - came in fits and starts, and in big numbers only when major national media mentioned the initiative on their websites, now and again.

Well, suddenly that has changed.

Beginning yesterday, hits to the brand website began to rocket, more than doubling the day prior. Views of the brand book - the Alberta Story -- went through the roof. And massive increases of visitors from the United States and overseas are being clocked as I write.

If only it weren't because we made a mistake.

We remain contrite, chastened and very apologetic for the gaffe with the photograph of beautiful Northumberland.

In 24 hours we'll know how much the website traffic has shifted to places outside Alberta. Today we already have a sharp increase in contacts from Albertans who want to share their stories, with videos, pictures and words, on the website.

So, we are still very sorry. But Northumberland, you are now beautiful for a whole new reason.