Our client Argyll and the Isles Tourism Cooperative (AITC) was recently shortlisted for a major global award following the success of its highly effective “Wild about Argyll” campaign, which saw Scottish endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont embark on an ambitious 12-day journey across the region, participating in extreme sports and completing an array of challenges.
The campaign was named a finalist in the Place Brand of the Year category at the City Nation Place Awards 2017, which recognised destinations that have excelled at attracting tourism, driving economic development and engaging citizens. While Copenhagen walked away with the prize at the global conference in London, the inclusion of Argyll and the Isles on the shortlist alongside major destinations throughout the world marks a significant achievement for the consortium. We caught up with AITC chair Calum Ross (above) to learn more about the campaign and how collaborating to raise awareness has been key to driving growth of the area’s profile.
“A consortium comprising 11 organisations from across the west of Scotland, AITC was established to enhance the area’s marketing power by way of pooling resources. By highlighting the unique selling points of each individual area within the region and combining them under one umbrella brand, we had a stronger voice to promote our offering and raise awareness of the amazing experiences on offer in Argyll and the Isles. We also worked together to source external grant funding of more than £800,000 over the last 5 years, which enabled us to develop both our capacity locally and our domestic and global marketing strategy.
“The Wild About Argyll brand was originally conceived as a way to appeal to the adventure seeker, a much younger market on our doorstep in the Central Belt of Scotland. However with the involvement of Mark Beaumont, who captures the very soul of our region, the campaign has attracted global attention and reached an audience of millions – success which has led us to adopt Wild About Argyll as a general brand for the Argyll and the Isles region.
“Over a hundred of our local businesses supported th
e campaign at the outset, a remarkable demonstration of the tremendous spirit of collaboration we have in Argyll. The international recognition of the campaign is not just a huge accomplishment for the area, but a real testament to the effectiveness of collaboration, which is central to the campaign’s success.
“Wild About Argyll was borne out of innovative and ambitious thinking, and delivered on a scale which would not have been possible for any of the members to implement individually. The success of the campaign is an extension of the success we have already achieved through collaborative working, which includes new trips to the area being offered by national and international tour operators we have worked with at VisitScotland’s annual EXPO events. We are now developing an exciting partnership with Glasgow Life, Scotrail and Calmac for 2018 promoting the cultural wonders of the city and the micro adventures in Argyll.
“We are thrilled to have created something that has captured the attention of so many and gained such wide-reaching recognition for our beautiful region, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively and innovatively to further grow the profile of Argyll and the Isles and attract more adventure seekers from home and abroad.”
For more information about how collaboration could benefit your business, get in touch to arrange a chat with one of our expert advisors.
Pictures courtesy of Morrocco Media, Kieran J Duncan and Finalcrux Films.