Know-How Exchange : Branding

From Brookfield, CT ...

I first became familiar with Windsor when I had a large consulting client in Detroit. Spending weeks in the Motor City, we often sought a change of place and would cross the bridge into Windsor. Your city had a greater vibrancy and a friendliness that was quite inviting. I remember all of the flowers and the flower boxes. Yes, there were some raucous late night venues and the occasional "lady professionals," but generally we saw Windsor as a fun and friendly place (especially compared to Detroit!).

Several years ago, I was assigned to run a Toronto-based company and got a somewhat different perspective about Windsor. There are quite a few people who cross over into the U.S. for jobs or schooling. People in the rest of Ontario seemed to have a far lesser opinion of Windsor than I did.

Perhaps it's simply a matter of different perspectives or perhaps things have changed over the years.

I'm from the Washington DC area, and used to travel a bit in a previous sales job.

I don't mean to offend the ladies on this forum... but the word on the street (back from my days in sales a decade ago) was that the bars and clubs in Windsor were much wilder than those in Michigan, and it was well worth the trip (can't say I ever made that trip, though...)

A quick Google search turns up the same idea: what to to while in Detroit: Visit Windsor.

From Newmarket, ON

Over here...Windsor is just a car manufacturing city. Not a lot of personality; cold-feeling in fact. They need to warm the brand up with real people having fun and enjoying their life in Windsor. And tell me what's there for my family to enjoy.

Windsor: Cars, Casinos, and a quick drive through. Yes, I was through Windsor on my way to Ottawa this summer (We drove from Regina to Ottawa around the big ponds, you should have seen the look on the US border guards faces when we said 'yes, we KNOW Ottawa is in Canada' a-duh!)

I know its one of the busiest crossings between Canada and the USA and Casion trade is down dramatically since the smoking ban. Other than that, don't know much about Windsor. (makes me wonder how much folks know about Regina <--rhymes with Delores)

Darcy Moen
Customer Loyalty Network

I'm from San Diego, CA, and I have never heard of Windsor before this.

The name "Windsor" made me think of royalty, high tea, etc.... but from reading these posts that's apparently off the mark!

I'm in Westport, Connecticut ... about an hour from Midtown Manhattan. Very familiar with Windsor. Used to drive through Windsor en route from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Toronto. Also had a couple different clients in Detroit over the years, and heard a lot about Windsor from folks in the Motor City.

And before Tim Horton's had stores in the States, it was a big treat when someone from Windsor would bring a dozen donuts to a client meeting!

Location, Pakistan

Never heard of Windsor, but from the responses, seem to be a pretty famous city. Most of my information about Canada comes from The Economist. Other than that, home of Arthur Hailey

Hello from Nova Scotia,

Windsor isn't Detroit ... just ask Michael Moore he does a bit about it in his "Bowling for..." movie produced here in Nova Scotia.

Cheers.

Hello from New York (Western),

Have not heard of Windsor. Have been to Canada, Toronto (beautiful, vibrant and clean), Ontario, Kingsway?, and Thousand Islands.

I'm sure its cold there -- right? :)

(we are under 3ft of snow right now -- cold/snow isn't a bother its to be expected).

PT

I remember driving ovr the bridge from desperate Detroit around 1970 and entering Windsor. The comparison was striking: Windsor looked clean and bright.

As a fellow Canuck hailing from the fabulous metropolis of Toronto -- the joke when I was growing up was that Windsor was the armpit of Ontario....

How about braided armpit hair for your branding?