So often, a celebrity substitutes for a decent idea in a commercial. In this case, the global campaign by Ogilvy Madrid forTurismo de Andalucía, a brilliant idea and the strikingly different visuals that illustrate it have more power than the celebrity. And that’s no mean feat. The celebrity is Peter Dinklage.
Dinklage warns the world not to visit Andalusia. Its attractions are too remarkable for the soul.
Ogilvy Madrid won the tender for the campaign mid-2023. Lisardo Morán, managing director of Empresa Pública de Turismo y Deporte de Andalucía, explained, “Our tourism promotion brand was 18 years old and we thought it was the right time for a campaign that reclaimed different qualities from those we usually highlight. There are new tourist destinations that can compete with us in terms of weather or services, but there’s something that cannot be compared or bought – the cultural wealth of Andalusia’s architecture, public figures who were born and lived here, etc. We thought it was a good idea to launch a briefing asking to build our brand from culture, from these personalities who have defined us and who have made us part of what we are today.”
“This is one of those campaigns that any agency would like to create,” statedJuan Pedro Moreno and Javier Senovilla, Ogilvy Madrid executive creative directors. “When a client asks for such a large repositioning, you are given the unbelievable chance to lay the foundations of a mystic experience when visiting Andalusia. To do so, our first decision was to stop showing what’s on the outside to start showing what’s on the inside, the mark that Andalusia leaves on you.”
The campaign is built around the slogan, Andalusian crush, that reflects the inner journey of those who visit this region. Much more than a motto, it highlights the legacy of this land. A place that can shock you. “And it was our duty to warn people,” Moreno and Senovilla noted.
The unconventional campaign is not typical gushing tourism advertisement but a warning, and the agency decided to put that in the mouth of someone who had experienced the Andalusian crush firsthand, Peter Dinklage. “The Game of Thrones actor was amazed by this land when he was filming, so having his voice and his presence elevates the piece and creates an unexpected added impact on the audience,” Moreno and Senovilla added.
The campaign’s images defy conventions. Its brutalist images and shots, as well as its poetic tone, reflect the culture of the region. “Andalusia will shock you, shake you, tear you apart.” Many of the images are influenced by the filmmaker, José Val del Omar, from Granada, who invented the zoom almost one hundred years ago. They are also full of little tributes from Lorca to Leonard Cohen, from Win Wenders to the Andalusian rock band, Triana.
Music also plays a leading role. The marching song, Eternidad, performed by the Cornets and Drums Band of Our Lady of the Rosary of Cadiz, enhances the emotionally charged piece – another demonstration of the cultural legacy of Andalusia.
The campaign covers television, radio, press, social media, internationally, and online.
Credits:
Client: Public Tourism and Sports Company of Andalusia
Client Team Lisardo Morán, Alberto Ortiz & Adrián Gómez
Agency: Ogilvy Madrid
Chief Creative Officer: Roberto Fara
Executive Creative Directors: Juan Pedro Moreno & Javier Senovilla
Creative Directors: Miguel Provencio & Alex Maggi
Art Director: Alejandra Vallejo
Producer: Fernando Albor
Managing Director & Client Business Partner: Vanesa Porto
Account Director: Laura Roldán
Account Supervisor: Carla Pombo
Account Executive: María Jiménez
Senior Planners: Ana Fernández and Carmen Gracia
PR Team : Elvis Santos, Clara Sanchís, Enrique Caballero
Production: Hogarth
Production Director: Aaron Lago
Executive Producer: Pablo Riaño Sánchez
Producers: Leire Arrate and Roberto Arias
Production Company: ROMA
CEO: Pablo García Acón
Executive Producer: Juan Bascón
Producer: Laura Soto
Director: Manu Mazzaro
DoP: Pablo Clemente
Photographer: Silvia Grav
Type Designer: Alex Trochut
Music: Band of Bugles & Drums Ntra. Sra. del Rosario Cadiz
Head of Post-Production: Tamara Diaz
Editors: Rocío Pérez & Iván Kanter
Colourist: Julia Rosetti
VFX & CGI: McNulty
Sound Studio: Beat Music
