The challenge

This major Scandinavian Tourist Board’s own research showed that whilst over 80% of their target audience like the idea of visiting the country only 43% of them actually think they’ll book a trip.

The solution

I suggested this was because UK travellers don’t know enough about what the country has to offer as a destination and that other destinations do a far better job of delivering a consistent and coherent message about their tourism product.

I put together a plan to create a defined brand proposition coupled with a set of ‘hero’ experiences that they could start to promote. I conducted interviews with key stakeholders that included journalists, PRs, tour operators, regional tourist boards and their brand team and used these insights to develop a powerful new brand proposition.

The creative

I discovered several fascinating themes during the interviews. People in this country are immensely creative and this approach to life is fuelled by a deep connection with their vast, pristine outdoors. Time spent disconnected from the busy-ness of the modern world surrounded by natural beauty is a catalyst for great ideas and fresh thinking.

This different outlook creates a unique, open, friendly culture. Combine this with cities packed with quirky shops and world-class museums and countryside that’s raw, wild and spectacular and it all adds up to a surprisingly powerful tourist offering. Swedes simply don’t shout about it anywhere near enough!

My solution – Life Changing. A trip to this country is much more than a change of scenery. It’s a change of mindset, a fundamentally different experience that can – literally – change your life.

The team love this new positioning and it’s being used for all UK marketing communications in 2017. They’re now creating campaigns built around this proposition and the hero experiences.