Some of the most interesting advertising recently is from the tourist offices of other countries.

Spain has a wonderful campaign anchored by the slogan "A Friend From Europe." A vacation-themed ad touts Madrid as a tourist destination, while a simultaneous business-oriented ad shows a photo of a modern subway car to entice American companies considering European outposts. Either way, the "Friend" wording is clever, tapping into perceived American attitudes about Spain's neighbors to the east.

Now Canada has chimed in with a "Discover Our True Nature" campaign, featuring a sweepstakes to win a vacation. This weekend's print ad in The New York Times shows a couple frolicking past a French café presumably in Montréal. However, the photo must have been taken in New Orleans, because there is no snow on the ground and the people are not wearing six-layer parkas while battling bitter winds.

It turns out, however, that you only win the Montréal trip if you're from New York. If you're from Boston, you're sent to Québec City. This is also cleverly appropriate, because the relationship between those two cities is just like that between the Big Apple and Beantown. People in Québec City are always comparing themselves to Montréal, while those in the latter simply don't acknowledge the comparison.

And if you're from L.A.? Although Vancouver would have been the logical choice, you win a weekend in Alberta. What could be more appealing to those Santa Monica surfers than some quality time in thirty-below temperatures?