Breaking the sense of "out-of-town experience" in urban marketing
In the scorching heat of summer, the usual crowded and stuffy subways can be quite unbearable. But in mid-July, commuters in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou suddenly discovered that their muggy subway stations were covered with refreshing and pleasant visuals – wild animals such as Siberian tigers and red-crowned cranes resting peacefully in their natural habitats, offering people from other regions a taste of the ecological vibe of the north in summer.
As a public relations partner of the Heilongjiang Provincial Tourism Bureau, CYTS Linkage Public Relations planned and executed this Heilongjiang tourism promotion campaign.
Urban marketing is becoming a trend, but geographical limitations may become a “bottleneck”
With the vigorous development of the tourism industry, urban image is receiving increasing attention from governments and countries. More innovative and intriguing marketing methods are being applied to city promotion, giving urban image deeper and more concrete meanings. The shift from "city promotion" to "city marketing" has gradually become a trend. Typically, urban marketing relies on audio advertisements, microfilms, and other video-based communication methods, using sound, visuals, and storylines to present a static urban image.
However, urban marketing always faces geographical limitations. People living in different cultural environments often have vastly different understandings of the same thing. The inability to allow out-of-town consumers to personally experience the charm of a city may become a major "bottleneck" in urban marketing. The creative idea of Heilongjiang’s summer tourism ads “taking over” the subway delivers a simple and direct experience, allowing commuters in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to feel the ecological atmosphere of Heilongjiang’s summer, thereby breaking through the “out-of-town experience” limitation in urban marketing.
Capturing travelers’ psychology, the Heilongjiang Tourism Bureau creates an out-of-town “cool experience”
According to statistics, subway riders in cities are a large-scale, diverse group, mainly consisting of urban white-collar workers and commuters. Most of them live in crowded cities year-round and long to visit ecological scenic areas to escape the hustle and bustle. In the blazing summer heat, those worn out by daily commutes also crave a bit of leisure and comfort close to nature.
Through precise audience targeting and in-depth strategic insight, the creative idea of Heilongjiang’s summer tourism ads “taking over” the subway was born. It presents the harmonious coexistence of animals and nature most intuitively in the hottest subways, using strong environmental contrasts to highlight the cool and ecological features of Heilongjiang tourism. This allows consumers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to experience Heilongjiang’s unique sense of coolness firsthand, naturally embedding the brand image in their minds.
“Taking over” entire subway cars creates a powerful visual impact of ecological landscapes, allowing passengers to enjoy the distinctive pleasant scenery of Heilongjiang, as if they are greeted by the summer breeze of the north while riding.
The combination of mascots and brand logos highlights the brand image and strengthens audience memory. The repeated exposure of brand symbols ingrains the Heilongjiang tourism brand image in people’s minds.
This creative idea of Heilongjiang’s summer tourism ads “taking over” the subway not only breaks through the “out-of-town experience” limitation in urban marketing, but also reflects a different definition and understanding of travel. Either the body or the mind should always be on the move, but for people living in big cities, “recklessly” putting aside work and life to take a spontaneous trip is truly hard to achieve. Travel – a longing for a better life – doesn’t necessarily require physical action; the soul’s pursuit can also reach an ideal destination. The Heilongjiang Tourism Bureau brings the scenery of the north’s summer to people far away. Without traveling far, the beautiful views are imprinted in the heart, redefining the meaning of travel.