The Eyes Have It

A Tourism Campaign Concept

By Chris Canfield

Since I help manage one of the world's best tourism slogans, "Virginia is for Lovers", it may come as a shock that I do not put much faith in slogans, especially for emerging destinations.

Yes, "Virginia is for Lovers" is successful, as is "I (heart) New York" and "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas."  But you have to remember that as most of the audience was already familiar with the product, the slogans helped build a campaign for a well-known destination.   

If you are using a slogan for an emerging destination, make it one that will stand out and help define the country.  And most importantly, make it relevant!

Make Ukraine relevant. 
Show the people of Ukraine.  Show the culture.  That is what sells me on Ukraine.  You have what we call in the industry some "serious product".  From the magnificent cathedrals and architecture to the hospitality and rich traditions of your people, the underlying asset is authentic.

So when thinking of a slogan, I started with what you should avoid.  Stay away from "Discover" or "Find a new you" and all the other worn-out tourism catch phrases.  And in thinking of my advice to you, came the slogan that I think represents Ukraine and your people very well:

Ukraine. Dare to be Different.
The Ukrainian people have fought to keep their independence.  The customs and traditions are rich.  You have a history of daring to be independent, daring to Be different and daring to be yourselves.
In marketing, we try to talk to the consumer in emotional terms.  "Dare to be Different" would speak to your audience, which is looking for new adventures and seeking authentic, interesting experiences.

The execution for this campaign would be a lot of fun.
If I were asked to do a campaign for Ukraine, I would base the "Dare to be Different" campaign on the "Eyes of Ukraine."

The campaign would focus at first on the eyes of the people of Ukraine, as there is something magical in the eyes of your people.  This isn't meant to sound like a cheesy pick-up line - just the opposite.  The eyes of the people are stunning and soulful, and you know there is a story behind every pair. 

That's your campaign: The Eyes of Ukraine - A Different Story Lies Behind Every Pair.  Dare to be Different.
The campaign would focus on the deep, soulful eyes of your people and then transcend into how these people are part of a tourists' experience, ranging from musicians to artists to toastmasters to innkeepers and farmers.
If you wanted to target the East Coast of the U.S., the first phase would be a teaser campaign using a shot of two stunning eyes.
All you would see on Internet advertising banner and social media are a set of stunning blue eyes and the headline: "Whose eyes are these?" 

This would be followed by promotions and street marketing in New York and Washington D.C., where teams would paint eyes on the sides of buildings, on sidewalks in front of hip restaurants and near media offices.  In addition, teaser eyes will be shown on the sides of buildings through projections, as well as one major building being completely blacked-out at night with the only lights on in the building creating the illusion of two giant blue eyes.  This campaign would also be on transit ads throughout the Metro and in subway stations.

We build buzz, followed with a strong public relations/media relations campaign teasing some of the entertainment media.  For one month, you tease people: stunning blue eyes will be everywhere! 
Many people will naturally think it is a Hollywood movie promotion, but the new star here is a country: Ukraine.
The eyes will belong to various Ukrainian people who would be the type of person a tourist would want to meet.  Stay away from stars - we want real people we can meet - a beautiful musician, a talented chef, a charismatic DJ - all of these people are selling the Ukraine experience and culture in a personal way.

Through their eyes, you can see what is waiting.  Through your eyes, you will experience Ukraine.
The multimedia and television could be fantastic where you go from a close-up of the eyes, to the person, to the experience.
Imagine a pair of captivating deep blue eyes, then pull back to reveal a stunning woman who is your hostess for a wine or vodka degustation.   The eyes are the beginning, leading one to the experience.
I like the eyes campaign because it is so flexible.  Coupled with "Dare to be Different", the tourism advertising effort would give Ukraine a personality.