VisitEngland lines up £10m 'pride' ad campaign

By Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith, marketingmagazine.co.uk, 20 September 2011, 08:30AM

VisitEngland will run its biggest domestic tourism push to date next year, with the aim of creating national 'pride' among consumers.

VisitEngland: looking to inspire 'pride' in England

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The £10m campaign will use the Cultural Olympiad, the Olympic torch relay and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee to showcase the country in the lead-up to London 2012.

Alex Mawer, head of marketing at VisitEngland, said the aim is 'to make people aware of the incredible year ahead', and added that the tourism body wants people across England to feel a sense of 'pride in place'.

Mawer added that the organisation intends to use the torch relay as a tool to 'shine the spotlight on all of England'. VisitEngland's marketing will run across TV, digital and outdoor activity, with a target launch date of March. An agency has yet to be appointed to work on the campaign.

The £10m budget includes £3m of funding re-allocated last week by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Both VisitEngland and DCMS said the upcoming domestic activity will not address this summer's riots. VisitEngland plans to work closely with the capital's tourism agency, London & Partners, and VisitBritain on the 2012 activity.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk