Want to know where to get the freshest mussels in PEI? Ask an Islander.
“Ask an Islander,” a newly launched digital campaign from Tourism Prince Edward Island, invites people to submit questions about PEI to a group of carefully selected locals. More than 30 ambassadors, including Chef Michael Smith, musician Meaghan Blanchard and museum curator Boyde Beck are ready to provide potential tourists with tips on the best places to eat, golf, sight-see and hear live music.
Visitors to the campaign’s online hub, AskIslanders.com, can watch a video explaining the program, submit their question, see what others are asking, and find out more about the ambassadors.
“These are people who are very passionate about the island, who are willing to share personal anecdotes and really want to showcase what the island means to them,” said Brenda Gallant, director of marketing at Tourism Prince Edward Island.
“We feel that doing it this way, even though you’re not face-to-face with them, you’re communicating and hearing their real ideas and their real preferences and showcasing the island in their way.”
Canada’s smallest province boasts more than 30 golf courses, numerous beaches and a thriving culinary scene, but Gallant says it’s the gracious and welcoming nature of its inhabitants that inspired the campaign.
“People talk about the experience they had on the island, not just the scenery (they love the scenery they love the activities). But they love the people. We hear it from everyone. It’s one of the most common comments when you ask people ‘what did you like most about PEI?’”
Since launching in May, the effort has been going “exceptionally well,” Gallant said. After starting out with 20 ambassadors, the program recruited 14 more to keep up with the steady stream of questions rolling in each day. Participation is high enough that the organization is considering running it again next year
The campaign is being promoted on social media, and via e-mail blasts to the 400,000 people in Tourism Prince Edward Island’s database. Experiential activations, slated to take place next month, will target travellers at Toronto Pearson International and Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airports.
Developed by Tourism Prince Edward Island’s PR agency, Zeno Group Canada, with help from Prime Creative, “Ask an Islander” runs until the end of August.
M2 handled the media buy, and Hiero Marketing was responsible for account management.
