The Great Escape

A friendly face brightened up Zurich Station in this unusual one-on-one experiential activation. 
 

This interactive experience by Graubunden Tourism literally gave commuters a window into what their holiday could look like by sending them a live feed of a happy local living in the countryside. 
 

The cheery mountain-dweller spoke to commuters through the billboard trying to convince them to take a break; even saying that he would speak to viewers’ colleagues to help explain their absences if they did take the trip, and in some cases printing out train tickets as an extra incentive.
 

The campaign was launched with insight taken from the 2014 Job-Stress Index which looks at the stress levels of city-dwellers. 

From trying to win them over with a good old fashioned ‘yodelayheehoo’, to offering them an afternoon snack, this campaign wins out with its use of personalisation.  Ultimately it’s a successful attempt to bring a brand to life, and push the potential ‘experience’ they’re selling in the form of this charming bearded hero. 
 

In my view, this good-natured activation is the perfect example of a brand taking the extra effort to cater to the needs of its audience rather than just serving up a product. 

Using the insight that city dwellers’ stress levels improved even after just day-trips to the countryside, this activation not only got people talking about the brand, but it also engaged with their wellbeing.
 

This isn’t the first travel campaign which has got me talking and not too long ago, travel company SNCF got me thinking about their new online deals with a selection of provocative billboards which highlighted the different events you could visit via their service, from museums to sporting events.

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