Creative Assets
A suite of Social Media assets including campaign cover photos and special offers templates are available here.
The campaign photography campaign assets will be available on the content pool from 30th January.
Tourism NI Marketing Campaign
The Spring 2023 campaign will launch in NI and ROI 30th January and runs until 31st March. The activity will run in both NI and ROI across TV, VOD, Outdoor, Radio, Press, Press Supplement, Display, Social and PR.
Spring Marketing Campaign
The campaign will have a strong focus on demonstrating the value for money available in Northern Ireland this spring. It showcases a broad range of attractions and experiences as well as inspiration on where to stay.
The campaign is focused on Aspiring Families and Natural Quality Seekers in NI and Open-Minded Explorers and Active Maximisers in ROI as well as Social Instagrammers (only for digital) in both regions. These segments have been identified though research as those with the highest propensity to take a short break over the spring period.
The campaign builds knowledge of what Northern Ireland has to offer and delivers clear and compelling reasons to visit for the priority segments. The campaign is designed to support the industry by driving short breaks and inspire our segments to see, do and spend more on a spring short break in Northern Ireland. The campaign includes bespoke creative messaging for mid-term, encouraging families to consider a short break in Northern Ireland.
Overview:
Recap of the Priority Segments
NI Market Segments
Aspiring Families 30%
- Active families
- Strong family focus
- Activities very important all types, variety of interests)
- Need activities to suit children/suit whole family
- Planners
- Pay attention to price, seeking value, bargain.
Demographics: Most likely 35-44, even social class split, have younger children (under 16).
Estimated Spend: £1,360
Naturally Quality Seekers 15%
- Natural Quality seekers
- Quality of accommodation important
- Nature lovers, outdoors
- Sustainability important
- Enjoy planning, clear itineraries
- Short breaks important part of their lives
- Preference for gentle activites
Demographics: Older (av. age 55) more likely to be male, ABC1, older kids
Estimated Spend: £1,238
Social Instagrammers 15%
- Buzz and atmosphere seekers
- Seeking nightlife, great pubs etc.
- Most likely to use AirBnB
- Short breaks important part of life
- Want to broaden the mind
- Connectivity very important (Wifi, 4G)
- Getting a good deal and engaging in activites deemed more important than finding great accommodation
Demographics: Youngest segment, more likely to be female, Slight C2DE bias, Least likely to have kids
Estimated Spend: £1,006
ROI Market Segments
Active Maximizers 33%
- Seek great destinations
- Travelling as couples but also as young families - 57% will have young children
- Seeking energetic experiences and unpredictability
- Buzz and atmosphere seekers, quality of accommodation important
- Enjoy planning and like to have clear itineraries
- Short breaks important part of their lives
- Share their experience on social channels
Demographics: Most likely 30-40, even gender split. Low spending. Likely to have younger children (under 16)
Estimated Spend: £871
Indulgent Relaxers 11%
- Intention to visit in the short-term
- Looking to indulge and spend quality time with their partner
- Most likely segment to take a 'romantic' break as their next break.
- Nature lovers, enjoy the outdoors
- Interested in shopping opportunities
- Enjoy good food and music
- Seeking luxury accommodation, large comfortable rooms
- Not afraid to pay for quality if it's worth
- Short breaks importnat part of their lives
Demographics: Most likley 40-50, more likely to be female. ABC1, older kids.
Estimated Spend: £1,013
Open minded Explorers 15%
- High medium-term intention to visit
- Nature lovers, enjoy the outdoors
- Quality of accommodation important, space and comfort
- Food very important and highly motivating for them
- Want to engage with local people
- Motivated by culture, food and unique experiences
- Planners - do a lot of research
- Conscious of value for money and, in particular, safety
Demographics: Older (45-54), more likley to be female, ABC1, older kids
Estimated Spend: £924
Media Channels
NI Media Channels
- NI dates: 30th January - w/c 19th March
- NI segments: Aspiring Families, Natural Quality Seekers and Social Instagrammers (digital only)
- Estimated all adults reached: 1,200,420
TV / VOD
- 65% Coverage - 2,403,050 Adults reached
Radio
- 63% Coverage - 2,541,000 Adults reached
Outdoor
- 61% Coverage - 674,928 Adults reached
Press
- 43% Coverage - 1,642,000 Adults reached
ROI Media Channels
- ROI dates: 30th January - w/c 19th March
- ROI segments: Open Minded Explorers, Active Maximisers and Social
Instagrammers (digital only) - Estimated all adults reached: 2,537,760
TV / VOD
- 65% Coverage - 2,403,050 Adults reached
Radio
- 63% Coverage - 2,541,000 Adults reached
Outdoor
- 61% Coverage - 647,928 Adults reached
Press
- 43% Coverage - 1,642,000 Adults reached
Content Approach for Spring - Social & PR
Social Content
To underpin the Spring Campaign, the first quarter of 2023 will see Tourism Northern Ireland focus their consumer marketing communications on these 3 overarching themes:
- Refreshing & Revitalising activities in January
- Hidden Gems in February
- Spring breaks in March.
Key dates will also play a part such as romantic escapes in February, linking to Valentine’s Day, family short breaks to link in with the mid-term school holidays, and of course St Patrick’s Day in March. Demonstrating value for money will continue to be a key message across all communications.
We would encourage you to use these key themes to tell your audiences about the wonderful short breaks, events and hidden gems that can be enjoyed as part of a Giant Adventure in Northern Ireland.
PR Content
Campaign activity will be supported with a fully integrated PR Plan. In addition, core media activity will continue with weekly content and features across print, online and broadcast.
Key areas include media FAM trips, events and PR campaigns that promote the industry and brand awareness around Embrace a Giant Spirit. Other highlights include the Holiday World Consumer Show (Dublin & Shannon) and Outside Broadcasts with key ROI radio stations.
Creative Assets
If you aren’t already registered on the content pool, you can do so here: Northern Ireland Content Pool.
If you are a content creator or have photography you would like you share on our content pool please contact: l.conlon@tourismni.com
The Spring TV commercials will be available on the Discover NI YouTube page when the campaign launches on the 30th January.
Reminder
Further information about our Experience brand: Northern Ireland - Embrace a Giant SPirit (EAGS) is available here.
On the link above you can download:
- User guide on working with our Embrace a Giant Spirit assets
- EAGS Brand guidelines
- EAGS Experience Development Toolkit
- Further EAGS information about the brand, including video content.
How to get involved:
Help to Drive Bookings for Spring
Discovernorthernireland.com is a leading source of inspiration and information for visitors to Northern Ireland. In fact, over 3 million unique users visited discovernorthernireland.com in 2022. It’s packed with practical advice, insider tips, guides, maps, and entertaining and informative blog posts to give visitors a flavour of what to expect on their next giant adventure. The website is also supported by digital marketing activity throughout the year - driving visitors to the site.
Update your listing
If you haven’t already, you should create a listing for your business on the Discover Northern Ireland website. Whether you’re an accommodation provider, visitor attraction or experience, having your listing on the Discover Northern Ireland website is great way to showcase your business to thousands of people visiting the website each day. It’s also completely free to create or update a listing, so no excuses!
To update your listing:
1. Visit Tourism Northern Ireland’s Business Hub
2. Create an account
3. Follow the steps to register the products that you own
4. Manage your listings
If you’ve already created a listing for your business, make sure it’s up to date! On discovernorthernireland.com, we will also share some of this content with Tourism Ireland for publication on Ireland.com.
Make your listing impactful
To attract the attention of potential visitors, it’s important that your business listing is as impactful as possible.
Listings that work best are typically between 300-350 words. Remember, your listing is an opportunity to highlight what makes your business unique, so be sure to give potentialvisitors compelling reasons to book/find out more. By featuring engaging landscape photography (1920 x 1080 pixels in JPEG format) is also a great way to showcase your business and bring your listing to life. Don’t forget the basics though! Always include your address, telephone numbers, URLs, price, and any other information you think might be important for visitors to have.
Driving more visitors through Social Media
Social media plays a big role in helping visitors discover new places, plan and share their giant adventures. But we understand that finding the time and resources to promote your business on social media can sometimes be tricky. To help you make the most of social marketing, we have put together a suite of free, ready to use, downloadable spring campaign social posts, frames, banners and more, that you can use on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Contact Us
Have some content to share on our social channels?
Contact: digital@tourismni.com
Social Media Calendar
Check out our sample social media content calendar to help you create engaging content on your own channels. Simply add to your social media platforms to suit your business or location before you post.
Embrace the reach and impact that Influencers can offer…
Through strategic partnerships with social media influencers, we can provide a promotional platform for many of our industry partners, helping them to reach audiences who might not otherwise be aware of their products and experiences.
- Do you have a product which is visual and interactive to be showcased on social media?
- Can you host an influencer/FAM trip?
- Can you offer discount codes for influencers to share with their followers?
- Can you provide a competition for an influencer to share on their channels?
If you feel this is something you want to be a part of, contact: h.matthews@tourismni.com
Get involved in our PR activity
There are two PR teams in Tourism NI working to generate media coverage in both the NI & ROI markets. There are a few ways you can assist and get your business.
- Have an interesting story or good news aboutyour business? We want to hear about it!
- Media have longer lead in times so make sure to get to us in a timely way
- Can you host a Media/FAM trip?
- Competitions for placement in NI & ROI
Want to know more? Contact: c.mccoy@tourismni.com
Email Marketing
Throughout our spring marketing campaign we will be issuing weekly emails that will all be aligned with the regional rotations.
Here's a few things we have learnt which might help you with your email marketing.
Tips to help build your email database
- Create super-compelling, subscribe-worthy content
- Run a promotion or contest
- Provide lead magnets (checklists, ebooks, etc.)
- Use pop-ups to drive email signups
With this you can create an email that subscribers want to open and a great email will also drive more users to your website - so make sure your content is up to date for spring with enticing copy and imagery.
If you have content you think would be effective for email - please contact: digital@tourismni.com
Becoming Bookable on Discover Northern Ireland
Tourism Northern Ireland have partnered with Tourism Exhange GB to connect tourism businesses with local and global distributors helping businesses like yours to become bookable through the Discover Northern Ireland website, access new routes to market and reduce your commission costs.
Find out more
5 Things to do from now - Action Plan
5 Things to do from now - Action Plan
- Help drive bookings this spring by adding your event or experience to Discovernorthernireland.com
- Have an interesting story or good news about your business? We want to hear about it! Send it to digital@tourismni.com
- Don’t forget to tag us and use #EmbraceAGiantSpirit when posting!
- Download our social media content calendar and find inspiring copy to share on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
- Highlight your offers, value promotions and drive bookings with our easy to-use social shareables and consider signing up to TXGB to have your business become bookable.