London & Partners, the business growth and destination agency for London, has today unveiled a £2m multichannel campaign which aims to fast-track London’s recovery by attracting additional UK visitor spend to the capital. The push was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi London, with media planning and buying by Wavemaker.
Building on the success of the ‘Let’s Do London’ platform which launched domestically in 2021, the new UK campaign offers a fresh creative take and follows the launch of an international push in May 2022.
The new campaign, which seeks to engage with UK travellers outside of London and the Home Counties, aims to supercharge London’s recovery post-pandemic by driving visitors to the capital, encouraging an increase in spend and footfall across leisure, retail, service, and cultural sectors.
Creatively, the new ‘Let’s Do London’ push positions London as a must-see-right-now destination, showcasing the city’s unique mix of iconic and surprising experiences across a range of themes and evoking the ‘London feeling’ with moving and static images in a three-panel format.
Reflecting the ongoing UK cost-of-living crisis, the campaign features activities for every budget, including many which are free or low-cost. It also highlights Covid-secure and outdoor experiences in recognition of continuing concerns around the pandemic amongst some consumers.
Taking the brief from concept to completion, Wavemaker will ensure that the cross-platform campaign reaches UK-based holidaymakers. Using insights including demographics, distance to London, and income, it has identified the regional audiences most likely to visit London. As a result, the national campaign to effectively engage with this specific audience has been developed and will run throughout the summer.
In collaboration with London & Partners, Wavemaker designed a strategy that links to contextual moments, including the school holidays, to showcase London as the best choice for domestic travellers during peak summer periods. The data-driven, multi-channel campaign will run across TV, Video On Demand (VOD), radio and social.
‘Let’s Do London’ is commissioned by the London Tourism Recovery Board, delivered by London & Partners, and supported by the Mayor of London and key tourism stakeholders.
Rose Wangen-Jones, Managing Director for Marketing & Destination, London & Partners (which runs VisitLondon.com), said: “London remains a top destination for domestic visitors this year. As people plan their next holiday, we know that our audiences are looking for new, surprising and novel experiences. London’s visitor offer is constantly evolving and this campaign will spotlight the diverse range of experiences available in our city. With a range of new theatre shows, hotel offerings, cultural attractions, restaurants and bars, there has never been a better time for Brits to visit London.”
Jessica Wardle, Managing Partner, M&C Saatchi, added: “Building on the success of last year’s campaign, and our recent international activity, this latest iteration of ‘Let’s Do London’ aims to get more people in the UK to think of London as a destination for their next trip.
“Our creative approach is all about presenting London as the exciting, vibrant and inclusive destination we know it to be, with a plethora of unique attractions on offer. From Madame Tussauds to Tate Modern, we’re celebrating the capital’s unrivalled mix of experiences, to create meaningful change that will ultimately boost London’s economic recovery.”
Katie Lee, Chief Operating Officer, Wavemaker UK, concluded: “I love London… born and bred there. Whether you're interested in the shopping, the nightlife, the history, or the people, London offers something for everyone on any budget. It’s lively, dynamic and diverse and the ‘Let’s do London’ campaign wholeheartedly reflects and celebrates that.
It’s fair to say it’s been a difficult few years but this summer there’s a feeling in the air… London is getting its mojo back. As our capital comes alive, we can’t wait to invite UK travellers to go and experience - or rediscover - this fantastic city and everything it offers for themselves.”
