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.

With leading scientists, we put the health effects of the close-to-nature Swedish lifestyle to the test. Five highly stressed urbanites from our target markets proved our hypothesis that just 72 hours in Swedish nature could dramatically lower stress. Two key influencers were invited to participate, 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 as well as social media storytelling.

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.

Travel-decisions start with awareness and inspiration. By connecting an experience at the destination to a creative idea, we triggered attention in media while also inspiring busy urbanites looking to plan their next holiday. Making the experience possible to book enabled communication throughout the consumer-journey: from an awareness-building campaign to actual conversion.

Within weeks from the launch, the five cabins sold out to people from 10 countries to a value of €70K. As a result, ‘the Cabin Cure’ was converted from a campaign-tool into a permanent destination. The Swedish tourism industry saw the business opportunity and requested to replicate the cabins. The cabins are now available packaged as pre-fabricated mini-hotels, ready to set up for entrepreneurs across Sweden – with 30 requests within weeks. We didn’t just create buzz around Sweden as a nature destination, we helped develop it.

• ROI: 3000%

• Total reach 883M; 34 countries; 88% message penetration

‘The Cabin Cure’ changed the perception of Sweden from an undramatic nature-destination to a dramatic cure for stress. Rather than telling people it was a cure, we proved it by letting them experience it for themselves. In a custom-built experiment, international participants were recruited to spend time in immersive, close-to-nature, glass-cabins. Scientists tracked a 70% drop in stress levels highlighting how the simplicity of Swedish nature could bring inner peace. We documented the whole experience, fueling engaging content across every stage of the customer-journey. The experience was taken even further with entrepreneurs requesting to set up the cabins across Sweden.

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. Our research showed that key driver for nature travel amongst our target group – frequent, urban travelers with limited knowledge about nature – wasn’t to experience challenging adventures, but to slow down. When stress is considered the global health-epidemic of the century, we saw the opportunity to package 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. By giving the message physical form, the campaign could fuel communication and conversion.

Visit Sweden’s mission was 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 tourists from US, UK, Germany and France to want to experience it?