Rain Mac

Background

The aim of the campaign was to engage high value non-responders to previous Visit Wales autumn campaigns in order to drive incremental visits to Wales in September and October.

Idea

It rains a lot in Wales, especially in autumn. Which is why some of the most valuable visitors - families - only come in the summer. Parents see Wales as somewhere where there’s a lot to do outside - until it rains. Partners Andrews Aldridge’s strategy, therefore, was to change rain from a negative into a positive reason to visit Wales. In other tourist destinations, rain does indeed ruin holidays as there’s often nothing to do in bad weather. In Wales, however, they’re prepared for it, so there’s plenty to do when it rains. In fact, there’s actually more to do because of it.

A plastic rain mac carrying the line ‘no excuses’ was sent to a test cell of high value family leads. The accompanying brochure positioned the rain in Wales as something to enjoy rather than avoid because it gives rise to a whole lot of rain-dependent activities. With the excuse of there being nothing to do becoming null and void, the idea was that there could be nothing else preventing a visit. The mac means they’ll be able to really get stuck into some of those activities.

Results

Overall, the autumn campaign (DM, mac test cell DM, cold DM and inserts) generated 14,883 additional visits to Wales - at an average value per visit of £720. The mac test cell brought in incremental tourism revenue of £5,757 at a total cost of £347 - an ROI of £17:1.

Target Audience

Previous non responders

Size

Low volume

Our Thoughts

I’ve written elsewhere what a clever insight there is behind this campaign. Finding the benefit in having one of the wettest climates on the planet can’t have been easy – but it’s true, when it pours you do tend to go and look at country houses, go to museums, find things to do together as a family. So, there you have it, go to Wales – and bond. Go to Greece (say) and come back strangers.