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Dorset became a prime target for summer staycations while travelling restrictions were in place during the Covid pandemic. So Dorset Council needed to encourage responsible tourism from its visitors to preserve the picturesque county’s beautiful countryside and coastline.
Visit Dorset websiteThe challenge
After a deluge of visitors had caused problems at tourist hotspots, Dorset Council wanted to be prepared for further increases in tourists.
They needed a campaign that would encourage responsible behaviour from tourists, but also ensure they felt welcome.
The campaign also needed to reassure local residents their home was being looked after.The campaign needed to shift the behaviours of visitors to Dorset, educating and informing them so they played their part in preserving the county’s special appeal.
The creative bit
An identity was developed that focused on encouraging positive behaviour, rather than a negative, lecturing tone.
Taking the first two letters of Dorset, the DO identity provided the platform to communicate the messages about responsiblebehaviours, while also providing a striking visual motif that acted as ‘binoculars’ to view the county’s beautiful scenery.
A strapline – Promise To Love Dorset – helped to embed the behaviour change approach by urging visitors to make a pledge to respect the county’s countryside and coastline.
The visuals and messages were targeted to visitors across digital platforms, as well as on out-of-home locations on tourist routes into Dorset and key areas across the county. A series of videos also honed in on the five areas of focus – litter, driving, fires, parking and camping, and respecting the coastline.
The outcomes
More than 280,000 people interacted with the campaign online (clicks, likes, shares, video views)
Most importantly, the council recorded significant drops in heath fires, anti-social behaviour and parking fines, compared to the previous year. There was also an increase in waste collected in bins, rather than being thrown as litter.
The campaign won the 2022 Unaward for Best Use of Research and Evaluation and was also Highly Commended at the LGC Awards 2022
Roads video
