From a tourist
destination
to a home
SERVICES
Services
Strategy
Content Strategy
Branding and Design
Video production
Website and social media content
Media planning and buying
Seeing the islands differently both as a tourist destination and a place to live.
What would make you move to the islands? To increase their appeal, the islands and their businesses adopted an attraction strategy.
The Islands experienced a resurgence in popularity as a tourist destination during the pandemic. We know that the Islands are unique and that the lifestyle, the breathtaking views, and joie de vivre are just some of the attributes that captivate visitors. The Magdalen Islands hope to secure their long-term future by convincing more people to make their home here.
INTRODUCTION
The Magdalen Islands, an exceptional tourism region, need to ensure their long-term survival.
To maintain their demographics, revitalize their community and meet their pressing needs for labour, they need to attract newcomers.
The region created a department of Attraction Strategy with a mission to reach and integrate newcomers.
Challenges
- Objective: welcome 100 new Magdalen Islanders within the year.
- Change the perception of the Magdalen Islands from a tourist destination to a place to call home.
- Convince people to move to a region they do not know.
- All over Québec, regions are competing with one another to attract new residents. How does one distinguish itself and find the right incentives?
INSIGHTS
Inter-regional migration is determined by four main motivators: employment, fresh air, peace and quiet, and sports.
SOLUTIONS
- Segment the target according to these motivators.
- Develop the visuals and media environments for each segment.
- Once launched, monitoring to optimise the campaign using the motivators that generated the highest engagement.
« Identifying motivators and testing to determine the most relevant messages helped us to really understand the people we were addressing. It also allowed us to develop super effective content for hyper-targeted acquisition.»
Process
- We identified the most promising regions for migratory exchanges with Gaspésie-Îles- de-la-Madeleine.
- We used an empathy map to study young families and looked at the key factors that could motivate or influence their decision to change regions. Our findings were then translated into thought-provoking messages.
- What if... it was your X?
- What if... your children grew up here?
- What if... you pushed your limits here?
- What if... the islands became your islands
- Testing the messages: an inclusive and participatory approach. We held focus groups with young families to validate the messages and guide the creative work. We consulted with the Islands’ partners to formulate a strategy adopted by the community. They validated our messages and made them their own, ensuring the success of the program.
- We conducted interviews with our target audience to determine the best incentives that would engage our audience by speaking to their interests and needs.
- ATTRACT: We developed content designed to direct the target audience to the Magdalen Islands website.
The next step was to create a toolbox to support newcomers as they settled on the islands. The website, redesigned in collaboration with the Islands’ employers, took on the function of a job “Tinder”. The site now also provides information, resources, and services for a successful integration into the community and workplace.
Creative variations
- The key migration factors were represented by compelling visuals featuring the benefits of living on the islands: water sports, fresh air, and tranquility, to a soundtrack that brings the sea to life.
- The slogan « And if... the islands » works to plant a seed in people’s minds so that they can imagine themselves living here if not today, then sometime soon.
- We also used codes such as map pointers and hearts to mark places that people love.
- A shared brand platform for local actors provides them with common tools (signature, visuals, communication platform) so that the same strategy is behind all communications.
Results
- Some 10,000 people visited the site in less than 60 days.
- Almost 3 million impressions in two months with an average CPM of $5.20.
- The media mix worked to optimise the number of impressions and obtain an exceptional cost/visibility ratio.
- On Facebook: 60% higher than normal engagement rate compared to a similar campaign.
- The region's homepage and tools were well integrated and are still in use.
- The islands now have a new challenge: finding housing for all their newcomers!
