Fáilte Ireland West has won an Institute of Advertising Practitioners of Ireland Advertising Effectiveness Award for its ground-breaking Right Here, Right Now domestic tourism advertising campaign. The Advertising Effectiveness Awards are considered to be the flagship industry awards for the advertising industry and celebrate the most effective advertising campaigns in Ireland.
The campaign showcased the unique tourism attractions, events and activities in the west of Ireland through an innovative TV, radio, print and outdoor advertising campaign and presented the region in a fresh, new light to the Irish consumer. The results of the campaign were very positive, leading to growth in the numbers of Irish tourists visiting the region.
In addition, the campaign firmly placed the west of Ireland on the top of people’s list for short breaks and longer-term holidays by emphasising the different and surprising aspects of the domestic tourism offering here. One of its key elements was a powerful TV advertisement with dramatic visuals and a high-energy sound track. The music track - “All these Highs and Lows” - is now closely linked with Fáilte Ireland’s Discover Ireland campaign.
The TV advertisement profiled spectacular sights and attractions in the west and included stunning visual shots of the Maamturks and Diamond Hill and strong images such as Lough Key treetop walk and Galway hookers sailing to the islands off the west coast. It also highlighted the adventure side of the west and showed people enjoying surfing, kite-surfing and other outdoor activities such as salmon fishing in Ballina.
The public was also given a sense of the huge variety of things to do in the west when the campaign was communicated through national and local radio, delivering regular information on the fantastic festivals and events throughout the west, such as the Galway International Arts Festival, the Ballina Salmon Festival and the Clarenbridge Oyster Festival.
Advertising also helped drive the accommodation business through a focused special offers campaign.
