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North East England's first TV ad
Televison advert spreads the passion of North East England
Passions for North East England reached new heights on Valentine’s Day 2006 when the first ever television advert promoting the region was beamed into the heart of millions of homes across the country reaching 7.4 million viewers.
Directed by internationally acclaimed director Adrian Moat from North Shields and funded by One NorthEast, the commercial played an important role in raising awareness of North East England, attracting tourists to the area and boosting the region’s economy.
Filmed at a range of locations across the region, the advert captures the spirit of North East England through the eyes of a young couple as they discover the North East’s breathtaking landscapes, its bustling cities, iconic landmarks and famous welcome.
To be aired in 60, 40 and two 30 second versions, the advert features The Angel of the North, Hadrian’s Wall, Penshaw Monument, Bamburgh and Seahouses, Durham Cathedral, the Farne Islands, Guisborough Priory, High Force, NewcastleGateshead, Roseberry Topping and Stanhope.
Viewers in North East England had their first chance to see the advert during the commercial break in Emmerdale on ITV Tyne Tees.
The advert will continue to air nationwide throughout February and March on over 1,000 spots on ITV1's Tyne Tees, Granada and Yorkshire regions, Channel 4's Tyne Tees, Granada, Yorkshire and Midlands regions, Five's Tyne Tees, Granada and Yorkshire regions and on national satellite channels including Sky Sports, ITV2, More 4, E4 and Discovery.
One year on from the launch of the North East England Tourism Strategy aimed at attracting millions more tourists to the region, and nine months into the Regional Image campaign, the commercial will further boost the profile of North East England and support the multi million pound tourism and Regional Image marketing campaigns targeting local, regional and international markets.
Viewers will be directed to call for a free Short Breaks and Holiday Guide or visit www.visitnortheastengland.co.uk for further information.
Stacy Hall, Director of Communications at One NorthEast, said: “The North East England tourism industry already brings £1billion a year to the regional economy. However, our aim is for it to contribute considerably more and to play a central role in our plans to achieve a vibrant and sustainable North East economy.
“This television campaign is an important step forward in communicating the many great attractions of the North East to a wide audience who, in many cases will have limited understanding of our region and all it has to offer. I am confident that this strikingly beautiful commercial will capture the imagination of those who view it and inspire many to come and discover our region for themselves.”
The advert’s director, Adrian Moat, is part of the team at RSA Films, South Shields-born director Ridley Scott’s company. Adrian has worked all over the world on commercials for companies including Nissan, BMW, Motorola, Seiko and San Miguel.
He said: “Having the opportunity to work on an advert for my home region and to influence the way in which people view this amazing place has been an extremely challenging yet exciting and very gratifying experience for me. North East England is a region of dramatic contrasts and great beauty. I very much hope that those who love and know it well will feel deeply proud of their region when they see the advert and that those who have yet to discover the North East feel compelled to visit.”
Newcastle-based creative agency Different, which has managed the ‘Passionate people. Passionate places’ North East England campaign from day one, has co-ordinated the production of the TV advert. Also part of the team was Mallinson Television Productions (MTP), a company chosen because of its expertise and excellent reputation, having worked on adverts for companies including Honda and Carling in the past.
Regional input into the making of the advert has been strong throughout, with the majority of the cast and crew, equipment, facilities, accommodation during production, transport, clothing and even the walkie talkies used by the crew, sourced from companies in the region.
Working with Different, RSA and MTP have delivered a package that offers the necessary combination of high quality production and value for money. The production costs are £215,000, which is just over 20 per cent of the total £998,000 budgeted spend – the average for commercials like this is 25 per cent.
To order your copy of the advert please email northeastengland@onenortheast.co.uk