When the world went into lockdown, people were stressed. Trapped. Frustrated. They needed a release, the kind an epic vacation would normally provide.

When the world couldn’t physically travel, Iceland instead created an emotional vacation––launching a live, interactive installation that let people remotely scream frustration out into their wondrous landscapes.

For a category defined by joy and literal escape, harnessing frustration and digital release was a huge departure. It cut through the sad-stock-music-sea-of-“we’re in this together”-sameness to answer the world’s needs in a truly novel way.

Oh, and it made Iceland the #1 destination among their target.

Tourism is Iceland’s top industry, so when the world went into pandemic lockdown and could not travel, it presented an existential threat to the Icelandic economy. It was essential for Iceland to build demand for the eventual reopening of global tourism, but the last thing the world needed during a difficult and uncertain time was a tourism campaign for a beautiful destination they could not visit while they were stuck in their homes.

We gave the world something it needed during a shared moment of crisis––a chance to take all their pent-up frustrations and trapped pandemic feelings and let them out as cathartic primal screams, forging a meaningful connection with Iceland in a time when no one was planning their next vacation. "Looks Like You Need To Let It Out" was a digital experience that allowed anyone in the world to scream into their devices and watch that scream be released in real-time through a big yellow speaker into one of seven picturesque Icelandic locations. When the entire world was stuck inside, Iceland gave them a much-needed outlet in one of the most stunning places on earth.

We identified a huge audience segment in our key markets (US, Canada, UK, Germany, other European countries) called "First Movers"––younger, more optimistic, more affluent travelers who are four times more likely to travel overseas during this moment. Our brief was to maintain interest in visiting Iceland while travel was restricted to build demand for the eventual re-opening to global tourism.

By meeting people where they were emotionally, we kept Iceland relevant and top-of-mind without resorting to typical destination advertising.

"Looks Like You Need To Let It Out" was a three-week livestream internet experience. We set up seven yellow speakers in picturesque Icelandic locations featuring waterfalls, glaciers, cliffs, beaches, and a lighthouse. Users from around the world who were trapped inside could explore the regions in full-screen video at LooksLikeYouNeedIceland.com where they could record their screams and watch them be released in real-time. Users could then share recordings of their screams across their social media channels, inviting more people to participate.

We launched a global integrated campaign that incorporated both paid and earned media. A film on YouTube and a series of short social videos on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram showcased people struggling with common lockdown problems–working from home, self haircut fails, etc. Influencers filmed themselves using the site and posted stories to their channels. PR offered a certified therapist to underscore the benefits of letting it out.

When we issued a call to the internet to 'Let It Out', the world yelled back. As travel was restricted, our goal was not to sell tickets, but rather to build affinity for Iceland and demand for the eventual reopening of tourism. 725,000 people used the site. Over 800 global media outlets covered the experience, generating a staggering 2.67 billion media impressions making Iceland the #1 preferred post-COVID travel destination among our target group. Expedia booking searches increased 48.5% and YouGov booking intent increased by 5.7x. Most importantly, when the world needed a release, Iceland gave it to them with "Looks Like You Need To Let It Out."