In an era where films and TV shows ignite wanderlust, VisitBritain and Pablo London have redefined travel inspiration with their groundbreaking campaign. In this exclusive Behind the Idea interview, Emma Wilkinson, Deputy Director of Global Marketing at VisitBritain, alongside Pablo’s visionary team—Strategy Director Chris Turner, Creative Director Chris Bovill, Head of Production Tom Moxham, Client Partner Eve Bui, and Account Director Lily Gray—reveal the creative journey that transformed Britain from a mere backdrop into the real star of the show.

Discover how a blend of innovative strategy, deep collaboration, and a passion for British storytelling propelled a simple brief into a multi-faceted campaign that invites travellers to experience the magic of Britain’s iconic locations and hidden gems.

What was the brief?

Emma Wilkinson: To increase consideration and visits to Britain in the next 12 months by tapping into the global love of British film and TV and the rising screen tourism trend.

The rise in screen tourism

Emma Wilkinson: Set-jetting is the new way many travellers are finding inspiration for their next destination, inspired by what they have seen on film or TV. Recent research by VisitBritain shows that more than 9-out-of-10 potential international visitors to the UK want to explore filming locations during their trips (Credit: VisitBritain/Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index 2023).

Britain as the home to some of the world’s most loved films & TV shows

VisitBritain & Pablo: The UK is a world-leading destination for screen production – the birthplace of some of the world’s most loved and highest grossing productions and home to world class storytellers, from the people behind the camera, to those in front of it. Great Britain features as an iconic backdrop in many of these smash-hit titles, from Notting Hill, Bridgerton and House of the Dragon to Mission: Impossible and many others. Productions that people are surprised to find out were shot and produced in Britain.

Tourism truth

VisitBritain & Pablo: Behind every great British production is an even greater British location to explore. Tapping into the powerful draw of films and TV shows as motivators for travel, we could showcase the dynamic, diverse, and beautiful locations across our nations and regions of Britain.

Mission (and we chose to accept it)

VisitBritain & Pablo: Encourage visitors to Britain by shifting the spotlight from our great films and TV shows to the land where great stories begin and never end. 

How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?

Pablo: At Pablo, we really love to work hand in glove with our clients and keep building together. We never account manage our clients out of the process, we are a partnership. This project was no exception. The creative ideation process itself began with a really valuable collaborative session, where we workshopped the brief and brainstormed strategic springboards to guide our direction.

This initial pitch/brainstorming phase was productive and inspiring. We explored a variety of strategic springboards and collaborated to refine our angle on the film and TV theme, testing multiple concepts before landing on the most compelling and well-received direction.

What was the process behind ideating the concept?

Pablo: We knew we wanted to do something more than produce a brilliant 30” TV ad. We wanted a platform idea that would last for the next five years and beyond and really drive tourists to Britain, right now. It needed to be something that could flex across all aspects of the decision-making journey and inspire the tourism industry across Great Britain to get involved.

At Pablo we bring the creatives in early, working closely during the strategic springboard stage to guide rich and fertile territories and it doesn’t get more exciting than combining films, TV shows and tourism. That said, it took a few rounds of development in collaboration with VisitBritain to land on the sweet spot of ‘Britain as the real star of the show’. It would have been quite easy to fall into film cliches or sizzle reels of Britain in hit productions, but we knew we needed a point of view and edge to bring this campaign to life in a surprising and actionable way to live beyond just the big screen.

During the development it dawned on us, the location never gets the credit it deserves, we may be seen as the background but in reality, we are the star, a fundamental part of the stories we love and an inspiring part of where we want to go when we travel. Because let's face it, it wouldn’t be Westeros without Wales. This campaign is a chance for us to highlight Britain’s star power – shifting the spotlight onto the destination, “the real star of the show” and inviting people from around the world to come and experience the landscape, the people and culture that have played host to their favourite stories.

What was the production process like?

VisitBritain & Pablo: To launch the campaign, we knew we wanted to create Britain's own film to showcase its locations, tourism experiences and filmmaking credentials so we worked with the best people to make it happen. The incredible Tom Hooper, Framestore, Smuggler, Whitehouse, SoundTree & 750 and Tag Worldwide helped us bring the movie magic.

It was a really ambitious production. We needed to make sure we were capturing a good breadth of location types, visitor experiences and film genres across our nations and regions. Not to mention Tom Hooper's vision for our scripts to ensure that it all neatly sewed together from scene-to-scene.

To pull off a production of this scale, partnership was critical. We were incredibly lucky to work in collaboration with major film studios and our tourism partners - the national tourism boards of England (VisitEngland), Scotland (VisitScotland), Wales (Visit Wales) and London (London & Partners).

What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?

VisitBritain & Pablo: The biggest challenge was building a connecting story that takes viewers beyond the screen to showcase Britain’s nations and regions – and the tourism experiences that await them.

What kit/tools/software were used to create the project?

Pablo: Most of the VFX in these films is for getting transitions looking as seamless as possible from the film to our visitor experiences. The rest was down to positioning the camera in the right spot at each screen location.

What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?

VisitBritain & Pablo: We realised last minute we were short a double for a chilly lake scene but luckily had a dedicated extra who kindly volunteered.

What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?

Emma Wilkinson: The campaign is all about using the draw of films and TV shows to inspire visitors to choose Britain for their next trip, to explore more and to come now.

Films and TV shows are powerful motivators for travel. Our ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign is harnessing this trend. We’re shining the spotlight on destinations which have been the backdrop to stories familiar all over the world, with Britain in the starring role, inspiring people to come and put themselves in the picture.

Films, TV and tourism have a lot in common. They bring people together. They foster emotional connections. They can transport us to new places, experiences and adventures. With Great Britain providing centuries of inspiration and locations for stories brought to life on the silver screen, film loving visitors are spoilt for choice.

As well as attracting visitors to Britain, our ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign is all about encouraging our international visitors to explore more when they come. Tourism is a growth industry. International visitors spent an estimated £32.5 billion in the UK in 2024, year-on-year growth of 5 per cent, supporting our high streets and tourism businesses. We want to boost that spending across more of Britain, supporting jobs, businesses and driving growth for local economies.

Tourism and the creative industries are growth industries and position how Britain is seen around the world. Those who have visited us are 16% more likely to invest in our businesses, products and services. The UK’s capacity to host major film and TV productions, and its world class production offer, boosts the range of screen related visitor experiences and locations.

How long did it take from inception to delivery?

VisitBritain & Pablo: Approximately 18 months

Can you describe the creative spark or inspiration behind the initial concept? Was there a specific moment or insight that ignited the idea?

Pablo: We have all these amazing films and TV shows, locations and experiences but had to give the fans and ‘set-jetters’ something surprising and new so we allowed them to peek beyond the frame and focus in on the real star of the show.

How did you ensure that the concept aligned with the brand's values, goals, and target audience?

Emma Wilkinson & Pablo: There are a number of ways in which we ensured that the concept aligned with the brand’s values, goals and target audience. Research was conducted by Kubi Kalloo to help us refine our concept. We spoke to prospective travelers (VisitBritain’s ‘Experience Seeker’ target audience) across our major inbound visitor markets to understand the draw of films and TV shows, which British locations piqued their interest, and the experiences we should feature to motivate them to travel.

Testing revealed that a variety of film titles and genres is important and featuring iconic locations captures our audience's attention and lands Britain – setting the stage to reveal unexpected places and experiences. The creative approach aligns with the UK Government’s GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign’s brand platform of ‘See Things Differently’ encouraging the world to see things from fresh perspectives, by showcasing Great Britain’s diversity, creativity and innovation.

Were there any alternative concepts or ideas considered during the ideation phase? If so, what led to the selection of the final concept?

Pablo: We had a number of other ideas that didn’t quite make the cut. Although each had their merit, the winning concept worked better across our different markets, enabling us to play into the iconic titles that people love, and ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ felt bigger, broader and more blockbuster in scope.

Can you discuss any collaborative or interdisciplinary aspects of the ideation process, such as working with other departments or external partners?

Pablo: At Pablo, we have a firm belief that the best work comes from getting our collective shoulders behind the work and, as a result, like to foster strong collaboration across all disciplines throughout the end-to-end process. We think it’s really important to build together and believe ultimately this sets the conditions for great work to be made.

It is this mentality that has allowed us, as a collective, to deliver this incredibly ambitious project at such a scale. The VisitBritain and GREAT team have been fantastic client partners, collaborating at each stage but also driving some of the most fundamental parts of the project such as brokering and managing partnerships with multiple studios. It was the definition of one team, one dream.

We also worked with some of the best talent in the business including the team at VisitBritain, Tom Hooper and our agency partners  to launch this global platform.

Emma Wilkinson added: We also worked in close collaboration with the national tourism boards of England (VisitEngland), Scotland (VisitScotland), Wales (Visit Wales) as well as London & Partners to shine the spotlight on less-visited places and new experiences, inspiring visitors to discover more of Britain and stay longer.

But this is just the beginning of the journey, and we can’t wait to build on this platform.

What role did consumer research or market analysis play in shaping the concept and its execution?

Emma Wilkinson: Recent research by VisitBritain shows more than 9-out-of-10 potential international visitors we surveyed, across 20 overseas markets, were keen to visit film and TV locations during their holidays here in the UK. In addition,1-in-6, who have previously visited the UK, said they were influenced by film/TV locations to travel outside of London (credit: VisitBritain/Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index 2023).

The campaign is harnessing this ‘set-jetting’ trend with Britain as the real star of show. Using films and TV shows as a hook to tell the story of Britain today, showcasing Britain’s dynamic, diverse destinations and putting our welcome centre-stage - inspiring visitors to put themselves in the picture.

VisitBritain’s goal is to encourage visitors to broaden their itineraries, discover more of Britain, stay longer – with that spending boosting regional economies - driving visits and spend beyond London, by showcasing our regional diversityand encouraging visitors to explore beyond London.

The campaign’s creative idea, using British film and TV locations as a way to promote the wider destination, and visual style were tested with audiences to ensure the campaign would resonate with global audiences. The creative approach aligns with the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign’s brand platform of ‘See Things Differently’ encouraging the world to see things from fresh perspectives, by showcasing Great Britain’s diversity, creativity and innovation.

*Creative testing was carried out by Kubi Kalloo.

Can you discuss any unique or unconventional production techniques or approaches used to bring the idea to life?

Pablo: Keeping it authentic and true to location and trying to capture these scene extensions to the standard the original film crews did, simply required brilliant film crew and post-production partners. 

How did you ensure that the concept remained innovative and stood out in a crowded marketplace?

Pablo: Surprise was a guiding principle in everything that we did.

A surprising insight that more of your favourite films and TV shows are made in Britain than you think.

A surprising idea that shifted the spotlight from the silver screen to the fantastic British scenes in the background (the real star of the show).

And surprise guided us in execution too.

Surprising with the screen productions- from Paddington to House of the Dragon.

Surprising with the location and experiences - from yoga paddle boarding to afternoon tea.

And surprising with very British humour - from shooing away a dragon like pesky seagull to the “stunning” response to the stately home.

Ultimately, we have aimed to help people see Britain differently, by doing things differently. And surprise was a key ingredient to ensuring we aren’t part of the 89% of adverts that aren’t remembered. (Credit: The Post Truth Business, Sean Pillot de Chenecey”

What do you hope it achieves for the brand?

Emma Wilkinson: This activity is designed to continue strengthening perceptions of Britain as a welcoming, dynamic and diverse tourist destination. VisitBritain is aiming to increase consideration to visit within the next 12 months and drive more visitors and more visitor spending to local communities across our nations and regions. The ambition is that for every £1 invested in our campaign, an additional £12 is generated for the economy.

Credit list for the work

VisitBritain:

Marketing Director: Robin Johnson

Marketing Deputy Director: Emma Wilkinson

Senior Creative Manager: Karen O'Sullivan

Senior Production Manager: Max Levine

Creative Manager: Franziska Kristen

Senior Partnerships Manager: Jennifer Huntley

Creative Agency: Pablo London

Managing Director: Harriet Knight

Client Partner: Eve Bui

Account Director: Lily Gray

Account Executive: Rosie Mullins

Executive Creative Director: Dan Watts

Creative Directors: Chris Bovill, John Allison, David Shirley, Charlie Gee, Matt Leach & Jess Oudot

Strategy Director: Chris Turner, Rebecca Moody

Strategist: Oliver Edridge

Head of Production/ Senior Producer: Tom Moxham

Production Assistant: Amber Robinson

Deputy Head of Project Management: Amanda Nixon

Production Company: Smuggler

Edit House: Whitehouse

Post House: Framestore

Colour: Company3

Soundtrack: Soundtree Music

Audio post-production company: 750mph

Global Creative Production Agency: Tag Worldwide