Visit Belfast’s annual Christmas marketing campaign aimed to drive footfall and spend to the city centre to support tourism and hospitality businesses during the crucial festive trading period. In 2020, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic presented huge challenges to businesses, so Visit Belfast adopted a phased approach to the campaign, ensuring that it was flexible and that messaging was easily be adapted in reaction to changing public health restrictions both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Phase One
The first phase of the campaign launched in mid-October, with digital outdoor and bus t-side advertising around the city centre. Focused on the retail sector, this phase carried a strong “shop early, shop safe” message, directing consumers to visitbelfast.com/christmas to find out more.
You can see examples of campaign activity below.
Phase Two
Phase two continued to focus on the retail offering in the city, given the restrictions on hospitality businesses. Adding to phase one channels, this phase featured activity on radio, press and PR to strengthen the “shop early, shop safe” message, while also teasing the experience available to visitors as the city lights up for the festive season.
Phase Three
The announcement of new restrictions affecting all tourism, hospitality and non-essential retail meant that phase three of the campaign was modified. The campaign featured across all media channels including TV, radio, outdoor, digital and social until Thursday 26 November, when it was temporarily paused during the “circuit breaker” lockdown which ended on 11 December.
Visit Belfast acted quickly to amend creative and messaging in the weekend following the announcement, in order to support extended retail opening hours in the week prior to closures. Radio, digital promotions and outdoor advertising in the city centre continued to promote the retail offering while encouraging consumers to make use of the extended opening hours to shop safely. This messaging was carried through website and social media marketing as well.
