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The challenge facing the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in Summer 09 was that although a lot of ROI residents planned cutting down on their foreign holidays due to the economic climate, we recognized that the majority would to “staycation” this year. We also needed to target overseas visitors, already in Ireland - persuading them to travel north was a worthwhile holiday extension, offering a unique experience. The strength of the euro presented an opportunity for Northern Ireland to differentiate itself to both audiences.

The creative idea was borne out of the premise that Northern Ireland had confidently moved on from its troubled past. Visitors were urged to uncover our stories, new and old, and to experience our awakening - all encapsulated by a campaign message ‘Explore More’, implemented throughout an integrated campaign.

We devised a targeted call to action for each demographic. Elders and Families were targeted with “Head North”, focusing on destination based short breaks. “Live it Up” was devised to target both younger travellers and families. Both creative directions utilised the arrow device, pointing North, as a visual call to action. We reinforced this with an accommodation Price Point, leveraging the strength of the euro and emphasising the great value short breaks available. We focused our messages on larger display formats where possible.

To deliver a fully integrated strategy, we created microsites which reflected the creative from the campaign tailored for each audience. Here they were encouraged to explore the accommodation deals available and enter a competition to win a short break. Both competitions engaged with users on a deeper level while also aiding data capture.

The campaign was highly effective in delivering the brand message as well as low cost acquisitions for NITB.