We’ve had some successes with the campaigns we’ve produced for Tourisme Côte-Nord recently, but this time we really wanted to hit it out of the park. To hit a home run, however, you can’t just rely on a good idea. It also takes a good client. And above all, people who believe in you. Who really believe in you.
So we invited a multidisciplinary team on board our “boat,” a team with some serious qualities. They were a passionate and creative bunch, gifted with relevant intuition and out-of-the-box thinking, as we say in the trade. The group we formed put all of its talent, heart and determination into the project to steer our boat to safe harbour. To take the analogy further, the campaign was born of the efforts of a team of Vikings in a longboat, off to conquer new worlds with knives in their teeth.
Speaking of Vikings…
The premise of our main message was to show a Norwegian sailor who, on disembarking from a voyage that took an unexpected detour, seems to rediscover his country from another angle. In reality, he is marvelling on a spectacular road trip at the immensity of nature and the unique landscapes and villages of the Côte-Nord. The strategy was to create a friendly ruse, while the creative genius consisted in manufacturing a credible story up to the smallest details, one that had viewers blindly following the character played by the Norwegian actor Mats Eldøen to share with him not only the vital experiences of the region, but his surprise when he finally realizes that although he is on familiar ground, he is not in “his” country. In short, a delicious red herring with an outcome that makes you laugh out loud, but above all realize that you can become totally disoriented when travelling in such a place.
The 360° campaign was deployed in the form of 30- and 60-second televised messages in a range of digital formats, including a number of video clips involving tourism partners and businesses in the region. It was also enriched with bold public relations initiatives and even a contest with a $5000 grand prize.
The Côte-Nord effect
From its very first days, the campaign not only caused a remarkable upsurge in reservations—which went as far as exceeding the tourist accommodation capacity in the summer season—but also generated a lot of noise. The quality and effectiveness of the ad immediately elicited admiration in the Quebec media. Annie Desrochers of ICI Première declared, “It’s really effective.” “An absolutely extraordinary ad,” declared Sophie Durocher on QUB radio. Philippe Cantin on 98.5 said that, “It is not only beautiful, but what an ad concept!”
We can be justly proud. And speaking of pride, imagine the crowd assembled to see the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar applauding the ad projected on the big screen. Talk about shivers down your spine! The campaign has even been the topic of discussion among Norwegians on the social networks. Will we be seeing Norwegian tourists over here next?
Finally, what’s most beautiful about it is that we haven’t stopped feeling the reverberations of the campaign. Like a crazy rumour echoing from fjord to fjord.
Behind the scenes
