Save Our Summer

To raise awareness of the breadth of events, exhibitions and attractions taking place over the summer, helping shift perceptions of the NEC from a place people visit occasionally to a nationally significant destination shaping UK experiences of live entertainment, culture, business and leisure.

We were challenged to reach and engage families seeking summer day-out experiences, short breaks and experimental leisure trips, and experience-led consumers looking for immersive, cultural and entertainment experiences.

We knew from GWI research that budget conscious parents, looking for things to do with the family, were more likely to turn to social media to find inspiration about where to visit. This meant we needed an approach that would drive engagement and traffic across digital and social, tapping into relevant and relatable conversations for parents and providing solutions to the problems they face.

From this insight, NEC SOS (Save Our Summer) was born – positioning NEC as the saviour of the great British summer for experience-seeking families by highlighting the many exciting events, attractions and exhibitions on offer.

We conducted a survey to reveal the exact date in the summer holidays that parents reach breaking point, providing a topical, relatable hook for parents, and creating the perfect launch platform for Save Our Summer – a celebration of the NEC’s jam-packed programme of events designed to inspire families and take pressure off parents.

The campaign incorporated a competition, giving away hundreds of free tickets to some of the UK’s leading events and exhibitions.