An Interview with Rob Kerr, VP / Creative Director at Bright Red\TBWA

Rob Kerr
SVP / Creative Director


AdForum: What were the main objectives of the Cayman Islands campaign?
 
Rob: The Cayman Islands needed a campaign that kept them top of mind with consumers, but also one that defined what differentiates them from other sun-soaked destinations. It was important to represent, not only the diversity of the islands, but the diversity of their people. Wherever possible, we wanted to show the gentle nature of Caymanians facilitating experiences that our audience was seeking. The strategy was simple: put our audience into exciting experiences, facilitated by friendly Caymanians. In other words: put the ‘i‘ in Caymankind.   

AdForum: What was the biggest challenge in obtaining the attention of Millennial travelers throughout this campaign? 

Rob: Millennial travelers consume media differently from Cayman’s traditional audiences. This called for a significant switch in our approach, with a focus on delivering bite-sized content, or :15 second vacations, that could be easily consumed in digital and social media. Millennials also tend to put a higher value on experiences than material possessions, so we gave them exciting ways to experience Cayman: taking a submarine ride to the bottom of a coral reef, flying high above shipwrecks in a helicopter, swimming with turtles, petting friendly stingrays, snorkeling with tropical fish or simply relaxing in a hammock under a palm tree enjoying a warm breeze (and a frosty drink).

AdForum: During the process of creating this campaign, what was the most exciting thing you discovered about the Cayman Islands?

Rob: The Cayman Islands are very diverse, from the barefoot luxury of Grand Cayman to the rugged beauty of Cayman Brac to the tranquility of Little Cayman. But, to truly discover the beauty of the destination, you have to put on your Scuba gear—with 365 of the best dive sites in the world. One for each day of the year.

AdForum: The Cayman Islands campaign uses first–person perspective advertising, what are the advantages of using this perspective?

Rob: One of the best advantages of using a first-person POV is that the audience can put themselves into the experience. This allows us to provide a much more immersive experience that simply showing off what we have to offer.

AdForum: What has the outcome of the campaign been so far?

Rob: Despite challenges such as the Zika virus and economic uncertainty, The Cayman Islands have had back-to-back-to back record-breaking visitation to their islands. Social engagement and PTAT (People Talking About This) increased 30% in the first six months.

 

 

 

 



Rob Kerr
SVP / Creative Director