We are marketers, not meteorologists. We can’t make it snow. But we can make the best of the situation and quickly execute creative thinking using the tools we carry in our pockets.
For most, heavy snowfall can be a nuisance, but for an organization like Odyssey Resorts, snow is a precursor to booming business during the winter months. With resorts across Northern and Central Minnesota and the beautiful winter landscape being a large part of the attraction, this season’s lackluster snow has the potential to deter would-be vacationers.
To drive up engagement and build anticipation, our creative team turned to social media. The goal? Highlight Odyssey’s playful side and the beauty of the North Shore of Lake Superior — with or without snow. Knowing that people on social media respond well to challenges where they can get involved in the narrative, our team came up with the Ullr (“you-ler”) challenge. This encouraged social media users to engage in ancient and playful rituals to help awaken Uller, the Norse god of snow. It launched earlier this month.
These rituals include:
Screaming into a freezer.
Wearing a colored sock on your left foot, but not the right.
Doing a no-pants dance.
Putting a cold spoon under a pillow.
Run around a dining room (12 times if possible).
Placing a white crayon in a freezer.
Throwing ice cubes out a window.
Through this strategic yet unconventional campaign, we showed off the playful side of Odyssey’s brand and made the best of a very unusual Minnesota winter. Many of the people who took part in this challenge filmed themselves outside, showcasing the beauty of Northern Minnesota with only a dusting of snow. The indoor videos, with people wearing colorful socks, reveal the cozy feeling of lodging in Minnesota during these cold winter months, snow or no snow. The use of Norse mythology is a nod to Northern Minnesota’s cultural heritage and ties to the Odyssey brand.
Social media allows companies to act quickly, adapt to new trends and ideas, and measure their success instantaneously. Through this social media campaign, we uncovered the lasting potential of this multi-faceted approach, designed to suit a unique set of needs. With creative campaigns like this, we can consistently measure the successes that shape ongoing campaigns with continued impact while gaining a great deal of insight to support lasting growth.
