VisitScotland takes radical new marketing approach

BTN News

Saturday, 23 April 2016

Scotland’s official tourism body VisitScotland is ‘bringing the spirit of Scotland’ to life in its first-ever global campaign - a program that fundamentally changes the way it markets and sells the country around the world.

The 'Scotland. A spirit of its own' campaign aims to raise the profile of Scotland to its highest-ever level via tv, radio, print, digital advertising and social media.

It is hoped an interactive new web site will enable every tourism business and organisation to drive new business, helping tourism reach its ambition of GBP1 billion by 2020.

A key to the campaign is the #ScotSpirit movement, which seeks to go beyond standard destination marketing and impact every industry, business and person.  

People across the world are being invited to share their experiences of the spirit of Scotland through #ScotSpirit and in doing so become part of a special movement with social, economic and charitable aims. 

To start the ‘conversation’, VisitScotland has introduced ‘The Seven Spirits of Scotland’ – key traits that can be found within the characters of the people and landscapes of the country, namely:

1. Warmth
2. Humour
3. Guts
4. Spark
5. Soul
6. Determination  
7. Fun

The Seven Spirits will be used throughout the campaign, encouraging visitors, residents and others who love Scotland to reveal what the Scottish spirit means to them.

Key aspects of the campaign and social movement include:

• New VisitScotland global brand identity and interactive web site.
• Cinematic-style TV adverts with time-lapse imagery featuring a soundtrack composed by Giles Lamb and performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and a voiceover by Scottish actor Iain Glen. In the USA, the advert will be narrated by Perthshire-born Alan Cumming.
• 12 on line emotive short documentaries that capture the spirit of Scotland through the eyes of those that live and work in the country including a piper in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the train driver of the Jacobite Steam Train and a scallop diver in Skye. 
• Partnerships with world-leading digital brands to tell the story of Scotland in different ways through different perspectives.
• Specific focused investment across the UK, key regions across France and Germany and New York City – all key growth markets for Scotland. 
• Helping children in Scotland to see more of their own country through a new education liaison scheme (to be launched later in the year).

In total, the creative, media and PR investment in the UK, North America, France and Germany for the Spirit of Scotland campaign is in the region of GBP4.25 million.

Malcolm Roughead, ceo of VisitScotland said: “Tourism in Scotland continues to go from strength to strength against a difficult economic backdrop and uncertainty in travel.  In the past 12 months there has been a seven per cent increase in visitors and an eight per cent increase in spend.

“The new advertising visuals are breath-taking and I’m sure they will inspire many to make the journey to Scotland, but this is about so much more than stunning imagery. It’s about harnessing a nation behind tourism.      

“We want everyone who cares for Scotland to get behind this campaign by using #ScotSpirit and in doing so become ambassadors for the country and create this very special movement.

“Scotland is a unique place inhabited by a unique people – a combination that creates an inimitable spirit. The emotional pull of this spirit can’t be duplicated by other destinations. You have to come to Scotland to experience it. But once you’ve felt it, our spirit will stay with you forever.”  

As part of the Spirit campaign, VisitScotland has worked with the Family Holiday Association and Scottish tourism industry providers to add a charitable initiative to raise the profile and importance of social tourism.  Thanks to donations from providers across the country including Hilton, Accor, Macdonald, National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Scottish Youth Hostel Association and Abellio ScotRail, it is gifting short breaks to more than 100 vulnerable and disadvantaged adults and children. - Jack Handley