The Brief
With over 175 years of history behind them, when we pitched and won the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company creative business, we knew we had a big job to do! Being in the middle of the Irish Sea makes the Isle of Man an ideal short break destination for the Northwest of England, Belfast & Northern Ireland, and Dublin & Southern Ireland. As a ferry company, they have a surprisingly hard job to do to not only communicate their great value fares but also to sell the island as a destination for holidaymakers.
Our Response
During 2007/8 we have helped re-launch the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company into these territories, producing through-the-line communications that are adaptable to all three markets and that tie-in with the Isle of Man’s Department of Tourism & Leisure campaign proposition of ‘Set Yourself Free’. As it is in both parties' interest that footfall is increased, we took elements of current DoTL communications and introduced them into our creative, whether it was in tone of voice for the radio and TV adverts or visual cues in outdoor, press and DM activity. Communications were strategically selected and highly targeted. Building on collated data, we worked closely with English and Irish media companies to find the best media choices for our target audience. Media activities were also timed to correspond with the DoTL, helping to increase the OTS and longevity of both campaigns.
The Results
And we gained some fantastic results! 2007 saw an increase in 49% in foot passengers, cars and vans up 50% and Belfast saw an overall increase of 25%.
