Chesterfield News

Campaign launched to attract more visitors to Peak District & Derbyshire

Young, hard-working professionals are being encouraged to escape to the beautiful Peak District to recharge their batteries and experience new adventures in a new campaign launched by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire.

‘The Land to Forget Time’ was revealed to unsuspecting shoppers at Birmingham’s Bullring on Saturday as a young, innocent bystander hit a flashing escape button before entering an Escape Pod and, just minutes later, re-appeared carrying a mountain bike over his shoulder looking blown away by a recent adrenaline-fuelled experience of bombing down some of the best mountain biking trails in the country. The audience watched in awe as TV and video screens suddenly flashed on, revealing a short captured moment of a mountain biking experience viewed from the riders’ handle bars!

This was just one of three fun social media flash events designed to gather audiences, connecting them together and encouraging them to participate by sharing the experience with others through social media.

The pace slowed down on Sunday when the adrenaline-charged Escape Pod was re-introduced as the ‘Recharge Pod’. Shoppers were invited to inhale the fresh air offered by the Peak District and Derbyshire and even getting a taste of it from the oxygen bar, whilst enjoying a complimentary head and shoulder massage, before being handed a goody bag full of exclusive offers and a few extra surprises.

Following on from this event, both Manchester and Birmingham commuters will be wowed by billboards and mega bus rears portraying some of the iconic attractions and things to do in the Peak District and Derbyshire. Online and printed coverage delivered by the Guardian and a well-planned social media strategy will make sure this campaign drives up a successful return on investment.

“This campaign is very exciting and has really captured the imagination of our partners with many helping to fund it. We have every confidence this campaign will capture the imagination of our target audience, and successfully influence their ideas for a short break. We want to encourage people to help us breathe real life into the campaign by taking their own short videos and GoPro films that capture ‘moments’ in time”, said Jo Dilley, Managing Director, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire.

“Historically the area has always performed well in attracting families and over 50s – but this campaign has been carefully crafted to widen that reach by appealing to a young ‘hip’ urban audience, the results being twofold with the campaign attracting new additional visitors, increasing spend and boosting both the local and regional economy.”

‘The Land to Forget Time’ graphic is based on a photograph taken by Dronfield-based Mark Henson, one of Experience Peak District & Derbyshire’s Destination Partner Photographers.

To have your opportunity to get involved with this campaign simply take your own short video or GoPro film of your ‘moment’ in the Peak District and Derbyshire and upload it at www.thelandtoforgettime.co.uk for the chance to win a prize worth in excess of £2,000!

The Land to Forget Time - Peak District and Derbyshire

Tara Underhill

Senior Destination Chesterfield Coordinator

Email Tara