Isle of Wight ferry company Red Funnel has enlisted the talents of comedian Diane Morgan (star of Ann Droid, Cunk and Mandy) for a bold new advertising campaign; serving up a huge helping of her trademark humour to celebrate everything that makes the Isle of Wight Wonderfully Different!
Enter Diane Morgan
The campaign features the BAFTA and Emmy nominated actor and writer arriving by Red Funnel’s ferry to travel the Island, delivering a series of deadpan responses to some of its most distinctive attractions and specialities.
From dinosaur fossils and red squirrels to blue wine, garlic ice cream and miles of unspoilt coastline.
Lagging behind Cornwall and Devon
In a recent survey, when asked about UK holiday destinations, almost a third of people (32%) mentioned Cornwall and almost a fifth (17%) named Devon – by comparison, only 3% recalled the Isle of Wight.
Launching this September, the new campaign will deliberately turn traditional tourism advertising on its head and elevate the Isle of Wight’s status from “hidden gem” to household name.
Tearing up the tourism-advert rulebook
Whilst most destination adverts rely on a familiar blueprint of soothing soundtracks, slow motion camera shots, and generic characters, Red Funnel has deliberately flipped the script.
The result is an entertaining homage to the Isle of Wight’s individuality, unique natural landscape and local quirks, all of which keep visitors returning generation after generation.
“A fresh way to honour everything that makes the Island different”
Oli Whitehurst, Head of Marketing at Red Funnel said,
“The Isle of Wight is an amazing place, with a wealth of stunning scenery, beautiful beaches, and exciting attractions, all within an hour’s drive of each other.
“But in a crowded marketplace, with so many beautiful UK destinations all competing for the attention of potential visitors, it can be hard to stand out. To do that, we knew we needed to break the mould and create something brave, playful and genuinely memorable.
“Diane’s brilliantly understated humour gave us a fresh way to honour everything that makes the Island different while creating something distinctive enough to shine through on screen.”
“The Island is bold, brave and beautiful”
Fran Collins, Chief Executive Officer at Red Funnel said,
“The Isle of Wight has always been proud to break the mould, which is just one of the many reasons people love to visit.
“We were delighted to welcome Diane to the Island. It’s as unique as she is, and it was great to celebrate all its eccentricities with her alternative take!
“The Island is bold, brave and beautiful, and Diane perfectly captures what makes it so ‘wonderfully different’.”
News shared by Isabelle on behalf of Red Funnel. Ed
