Tourism Nova Scotia is aiming to entice travellers by showing some unexpected experiences to be had in the province.
A new campaign, titled “If You Only Knew,” includes digital, billboards, print, TV and cinema advertising created using existing visuals from local video production companies.
Research found that Nova Scotia has high awareness as a travel destination, but people just don’t know what to do while on vacation in the province, said Martha Stevens, acting CEO and director of marketing, Tourism Nova Scotia. “It was with that key piece of insight that we built out our 2016 strategy to help potential visitors visualize what they can do while on vacation.”
A 30-second spot uses rapid-fire editing to show lesser-known Nova Scotia experiences, such as surfing. One static ad features a close-cropped image of a surfboard with the tagline, “Expect the Unexpected in Nova Scotia.”
A Tourism Nova Scotia microsite features six fast-paced videos under different themes, such as culture, natural beauty, and food and drink. People are invited to enter to win one of six trips for two to Nova Scotia, valued at $8,000. Winners can plan a customized trip based on their favourite video.
With the fast-paced montages, “we’re trying to create a sense of intrigue—‘wait a minute, what did I just see there?’ I want to find out more,’” said Stevens.
On social media, the campaign is asking Nova Scotians to share their favourite attractions and hidden gems using #VisitNovaScotia. The content will help to identify and celebrate the lesser-known aspects of the province and will be used in future campaign work.
The campaign was created by DDB Canada and Halifax-based Trampoline, which were awarded the $6 million Tourism Nova Scotia marketing contract last October. Tribal is handling digital and OMD is handling media planning and buying.
Stevens said the campaign also aims to set Nova Scotia apart from other destinations. “A lot of tourism destination marketing really focuses on beautiful landscapes with broad visuals,” she said. By using the fast snippets and close-cropped images of things like a surfboard or a Caesar drink with a lobster tail, “we’re creating a sense of intrigue and the unexpected.”
While the campaign targets first-time visitors, Tourism Nova Scotia identified two key segments using the Explorer Quotient segmentation tool from Destination Canada: “authentic experiencers” and “cultural explorers.”
“We’ve chosen those two segments because our research suggests what Nova Scotia has to offer most aligns with the type of travelling and experiences that these two segments want,” said Stevens. “They’re very much focused on an understated approach to travelling and are very intrigued by cultural and history, and experiencing that at their own pace [rather than a guided tour].”
The campaign is running in Ontario and Quebec, as well as the northeastern United States, including the Greater Boston Area and New Hampshire.
Tourism Nova Scotia’s goal is to double tourism revenues from $2 billion to $4 billion by 2024.
