Digital campaign has the WOW factor!

The first-ever collaborative marketing campaign between Edinburgh’s arts venues will showcase the city as a must-see cultural destination all year round with the help of VisitScotland.

EdinburghWows, a campaign based on highlighting the emotional connections stirred by outstanding cultural experiences, has received a £25,000 Growth Fund award from the national tourism organisation. VisitScotland Growth Fund supports national, regional and sectoral tourism groups across Scotland to deliver partnership marketing campaigns.

Led by the Edinburgh Cultural Venues Group (ECVG) and delivered by Marketing Edinburgh and Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG) in association with Expedia, the campaign will promote the capital’s low-season cultural offering using a short video promoted across digital channels. The video will communicate the emotional “wow” experienced from visiting Edinburgh’s vast and distinctive offering of world class culture.

The video will showcase cultural experiences that can be enjoyed in Edinburgh, paired with the physical and emotional human reactions that these experiences elicit. The film aims to convey a sense of love, wonder and joy; coupling jaw-dropping, tears of laughter and eyes opening wide in amazement, with a dramatic performance, piece of art or a live orchestra. Short edits of the video will be distributed through YouTube and Facebook and promoted organically by all the partners.

A bespoke campaign microsite at www.edinburghwows.com will feature the video and will include links to all the partner venues, allowing visitors to book accommodation through Expedia, as well as transport.

The microsite will also feature the campaign’s ‘Wonder Walks’ - a series of walks around Edinburgh that deliver wow moments as you walk between venues, and ‘Wonder Weeks’ - stand out weeks in the Edinburgh calendar that have a particularly impressive cultural offering at a time when accommodation has good availability.

By promoting Edinburgh as a year-round cultural destination, the campaign supports the Edinburgh 2020 Tourism Strategy, which calls for growth in the visitor economy of 3% per annum and prioritises stimulating this growth in the October to March period.

Ken Hay, Chair of Edinburgh Cultural Venues Group, said: “Edinburgh is an internationally renowned city of culture, offering dynamic, high quality performances, galleries and museums at many different venues. The heritage setting makes the city unique and culture lovers can also enjoy the great eating out experiences available. This campaign will showcase the city’s fantastic offering and help bring new visitors to enjoy the city year-round.

Sonia Valcarcel, VisitScotland Regional Partnerships Executive, said: “Offering outstanding cultural experiences within a compact and extremely attractive heritage location, I am thrilled we are able to support this digital campaign which, for the first time, brings together the city’s performing arts and cultural venues to highlight all that is on offer in the city and help drive footfall in the traditionally quieter months of the year.

“At VisitScotland we want to champion collaboration, spearhead digital innovation and make sure every part of Scotland makes the most of its remarkable tourism offering and understands its ripple effect of success, well-being and prosperity.”

From landmark museums to award-winning theatres, a leading film centre to world-class music venues, the ECVG collectively represents Edinburgh’s larger year-round cultural providers at a strategic senior management level.

The VisitScotland Growth Fund supports collaborative tourism marketing projects which focus on growth and ensure that visitors experience the best of Scotland. To be eligible for a Growth Fund award, applicants must place a strong emphasis on digital marketing and the creation of digital content assets.

For more information about the EdinburghWows campaign go to www.edinburghwows.com

For more information on ECVG, visit: edinburghculturalvenues.com

For more information about VisitScotland Growth Fund go to www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/funding/growth-fund

ENDS