Visit Sweden’s mission is to get more people to visit Sweden for its nature. But how could we compete with the dramatic, insta-famous landscapes and extreme adventures found next door? Global nature travel was growing intensely, and Sweden – a country consisting mainly of nature – risked losing visitors to nearby competition. Compared to fjords and Alps, Swedish nature is non-spectacular and modest. It’s “just” a part of Swedes’ low-key, wholesome everyday life – where people go to recharge, relax and do… basically nothing. So, how could we entice international tourists to want to experience it?

In an era defined by stress, we set out to test if the low-key simplicity of Swedish nature could offer busy urbanites something truly unique: an inner journey to wellness.

Off the grid, in Sweden’s vast heartland, we built a series of glass cabins designed to immerse you in nature. Five people with some of the world’s most stressful jobs were invited to move in and experience nature as it should be; simple and easy to access, not daunting or needing expensive equipment. Along with leading scientists, we developed a new model for reducing stress levels in just 72 hours. The results were clear. Stress decreased by 70% and proved a local recipe to a global epidemic, ‘The Cabin Cure’.

The cabins opened for bookings, quickly selling out and were packaged as pre-fabricated mini-hotels available for entrepreneurs to set up across Sweden, creating a new revenue stream for Swedish tourism.

To prove Swedish nature is worth visiting, we had to turn its least alluring feature into its most attractive. Sweden might not have spectacular landscapes like its competitors, but the easily accessible, close-to-nature Swedish lifestyle is considered a unique secret to leading a wholesome, balanced life. At a time when stress is considered the global health epidemic of the century, we saw the opportunity to position the low-key simplicity of Swedish nature as the ultimate cure by creating the most needed getaway for busy urbanites. This would engage our target beyond typical travel communications and reach media that inspires them in their everyday life: health, wellness, work, lifestyle and design.

With leading scientists, we put the health effects of the close-to-nature Swedish lifestyle to the test. Five highly stressed urbanites proved our hypothesis that just 72 hours in Swedish nature could dramatically lower stress. Key influencers from target countries were invited to participate (broadcaster Ben Fogle and The Guardian journalist Chris Leadbeater) securing reach in top tier media.

We employed a trickle down, two-phase PR strategy: announcing the experiment, sharing the results and making sure to engage media before it began.

The strong combination of experiment data, emotional personal stories and custom-built glass cabins enabled reach in travel, health, lifestyle, design and architecture media.

A mini-documentary was released together with raw material, images, participant interviews and cuts for social media, enabling media to create their own content. Media with high social media integration was prioritized to spark discussion.

And the cabins were open to the public to book online.

Output/awareness:

• 240 articles in traditional media

• Total reach 683M+ in 34 countries

• PR reach 492M+; 88% message penetration

• PR value of 24M. Coverage in top-tier media for all target segments.

Knowledge/consideration:

• Social reach of 191M, 68K shares

Action/business impact:

• ROI: 3000%

• Within weeks from launch, the cabins sold out to people in more than 10 countries valued at almost €70K.

• Consequently, ‘the Cabin Cure’ was converted from a campaign tool into a permanent destination.

• Swedish tourism saw the business opportunity and replicated the cabins in new locations which are now pre-fabricated mini-hotels ready to set up for entrepreneurs across Sweden – with 30 requests within weeks.