GAME OF THRONES TERRITORY
| Title | GAME OF THRONES TERRITORY |
| Brand | TOURISM IRELAND |
| Product/Service | TOURIST BOARD |
| Category |
B04. TRAVEL, ENTERTAINMENT, LEISURE & RETAIL, INCLUDING E-COMMERCE AND RESTAURANTS |
|
Entrant Company
|
PUBLICIS LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
|
|
Advertising Agency
|
PUBLICIS LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
|
|
Media Agency
|
CARAT London, UNITED KINGDOM
|
Credits
| Andy Bird |
Publicis London |
Executive Creative Director |
| Pavlos Themistocleous |
Publicis London |
Digital Executive Creative Director |
| Josh Norbury |
Publicis London |
Creative |
| Leo Bellis/Jones |
Publicis London |
Creative |
| Jason Cobbold |
Publicis London |
Deputy Managing Director |
| Rochelle Parry |
Publicis London |
Business Director |
| Marie Peltier |
Publicis London |
Account Director |
| Chris Tivey |
Publicis London |
Account Manager |
| Anthony Harris |
Publicis London |
Strategist |
| Ben Etheridge |
Publicis London |
Agency Producer |
| Stephen Emerson |
N/A |
Photographer |
| Greg Swail |
N/A |
Photographer |
| Neil Carey |
N/A |
Photographer |
| Jon Medlow |
N/A |
Photographer |
| Adam Burton |
N/A |
Photographer |
| Bernadette Mcallister |
N/A |
Photographer |
| Dan Henderson |
N/A |
Digital Project Director |
Creative Execution
With a series of posts on Facebook and Twitter, we subverted the language and imagery of traditional tourism campaigns and offered people the chance to take a holiday in the setting of their favourite TV show.
We teased fans in the weeks leading up to the season premiere.
We released general executions throughout the series, and reacted to key plot lines with tactical executions as they unfolded on the show, and exploded onto social media.
Every ad directed fans to a microsite where they could learn more about the filming locations, and of course plan their holiday itinerary.
We became part of fans’ routines.
With engagement levels of 17% (the average for a campaign considered successful is 0.3-3%), and over half a million clicks through to the microsite, we surpassed Twitter and Facebook engagement benchmarks for any brand. Even some of the cast, led by Kristian Nairn, joined in.
But not only were fans enjoying the ads, they were really working. Instead of discussing the show, fans started conversations about visiting Northern Ireland.
By bridging the gap between the fantasy world and the reality of Northern Ireland, we’ve turned it into a dream holiday destination for millions.
Northern Ireland plays host to the filming of Game of Thrones, one of the most popular TV shows of all time.
But it’s not just the sex, violence and compelling storylines that appeal to fans. It’s also a weekly escape to the beautiful and awe inspiring fantasy world of Westeros, for which Northern Ireland’s stunning landscapes provide a seamless backdrop.
But most fans had no idea.
We saw an opportunity to turn Game of Thrones fans into fans of Northern Ireland. Using the shows staggering social media following, we created a different kind of tourism campaign for Northern Ireland. Something that would tempt fans of the show to visit to the country at a time they were most willing to listen – during the highly anticipated fourth season.