The context for the brand was complicated. Not only were visitor numbers declining, but the organisation was working in an atmosphere of fear; following the lockdown of Brussels in 2015 and the co-ordinated attacks that took place in 2016, travellers were switching their plans to elsewhere.
Using the symbol of a Mud Soldier, an ephemeral statue of an allied soldier, made of the mud from the Passchendaele battlefield, the organisation was able to gain massive exposure on earned channels – especially among its target baby boomer audience – supplemented with paid media.
The results were impressive. The campaign grew unique visitors by 15%, drove nearly €1.5 million in incremental ticket revenue and generated €6.95 for every €1 spent.
In addition to the Grand Prix, the jury awarded three gold awards, two silvers, and five bronzes. A list of the winners is available on WARC where subscribers can also read the awarded papers in full.
Sourced from EACA; additional content by WARC staff