Rapp reveals debut activity to attract Yanks to Mancs

Rapp has unveiled its first campaign designed to promote Manchester as a tourism hotspot after being appointed by Marketing Manchester, VisitBritain and Virgin Atlantic Airways at the beginning of the year.
The campaign marks the first time that travel and leisure companies have worked together with the single objective of persuading US citizens to visit Manchester and the North of England.
Running under the strapline ‘It all starts in Manchester’, it will appear across social media, capturing the spirit of the city, while highlighting Virgin Atlantic’s new direct routes to Manchester from San Francisco and Boston.
Rapp has created four videos based around sport, culture, outdoor and nightlife which illustrate holiday stories in genuine, first person style, to showcase what the region has to offer.
All films have been produced using visual filters and camera phone style photography to best reflect a social media tone. In a departure from tradition, the videos begin by presenting a typical ‘holiday experience’ the other way round, going backward to demonstrate how amazing holiday moments typically start at the very beginning when stepping onto the Virgin Atlantic flight.
“So much has started in Manchester – it’s the city that birthed Pankhurst, taught Turing and gave us the Gallaghers. What a great basis for telling amazing stories,” said Ben Golik, executive creative director at Rapp UK. “Today, your holiday doesn’t really happen unless it happens on your social feed. This campaign captures the shareable moments that ensue when ‘It all starts in Manchester’, from seeing dawn in with drag queens, to that lukewarm pint after a long country walk.”
The campaign will run across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube and will be supported by digital banner ads.
Marketing Manchester managing director Sheona Southern added: “Our team have been really impressed with the energy and passion that Rapp UK have shown for this project, and I’m pleased to say that we’re all thrilled with the campaign they’ve produced. We’re very much looking forward to seeing its impact.”

TOPICS:Manchester Rapp social media tourism