Concept presentation Go Viking in the fjords - Fjord Norway

Concept presentation
Go Viking in the fjords

Fara i viking
                               [old Norse verb]

                               Are you aware that ‘to go Viking’ was a phrase originally used by
                               Norwegians to describe travelling overseas?

Photo: NLE film/Fjord Norway

Welcome to the New Season!

The Fjord Norway region is one of the world’s most attractive destinations in summer. But how can we get tourists to
come here outside high season, from October to April, the period we call the New Season?

The beautiful fjord landscape is the main reason to come to Norway in summer. The region is then a very popular
destination for people from across the world. If we are going to attract tourists during the shoulder season and winter
season, we must show them something new. Talk about other reasons to come here. Show the fjords in a new way.

To ensure that we don’t create competition between the seasons and take away from the draw of ‘the beautiful fjord
landscape’, we must find another tourism driver for the New Season. A tourism driver that appeals to new potential
markets and target groups. We believe there are two good reasons for tourists wanting to visit the fjords at all times of
the year – also during the New Season.

The fjord experience is different during the New Season. Meeting the people of Western Norway, those who live along
the fjords all year round, is a more important factor. We are going to present who and what travellers meet in the New
Season, in addition to the nature experience itself. We want to link culture and nature more closely together. Show who
lives here, who we are and what experiences are available.

A new concept based on Vikings and the fjords:
•   If you google the word ‘fjords’, you get a lot of hits. But there is another word that is even more well-known and that is
    closely linked to Norway and the fjords. Viking.

•   An Englishman once asked us: ‘I know about the Vikings, but when did the Norwegians come?’ The truth is they never left.
    They’re here now. They’re part of us. We are the Vikings’ descendants. Viking – Northman – Norwegian. We find traces of
    our Viking history all around us. The way we live, the food we eat, the beer we drink, the way we celebrate Christmas, the
    boats we sail, the language we speak, our way of looking at the world and lots, lots more.

•   The wild and rough weather, that follows the seasons, has helped to form us, our traditions and the way we live, and made
    us a hardy people. We who were once Vikings. This hardiness has in turn created the stories about the wild, hard, tough and
    crazy Vikings who fascinate people all over the world.

•   Today, the word Viking is primarily associated with a people, but it was originally a verb. To ‘fara i viking’ meant to travel.
    To set off on expeditions and discover new places. The New Season is about just that. Travelling in the fjords in an
    unfamiliar season gives different, but exciting experiences.

•   We are taking ownership of the verb ‘viking’ together with the word ‘fjord’. A verb that describes the experiences we are
    offering in the spectacular and wild nature that has formed us Norwegians.

We are going to do this through the expression:
          ‘Go Viking in the fjords’

A simple way of understanding the difference in
communication of High Season and New Season is:

‘If you want sightseeing – come in the summer season’
‘If you want to Go Viking – come between October and April’

Go Viking in the fjords

GO VIKING is not a historic journey back in time. It is not a story about the way things used to be. It is a
story about what you can experience today. In the Viking spirit. In the Western Norwegian spirit.

GO VIKING is a real story that plays on our Viking roots and on life in the fjords - in the modern age, with
modern experiences and about the people of Western Norway you meet today.

GO VIKING - the concept can be used by all parties in the Fjord Norway region. It can be used for all
experiences that build on the authentic Western Norwegian spirit, real fjord life. The experiences must be
doable in the period between October and April.

GO VIKING is about the great contrasts that can be experienced in the period between October and April:
storms raging outside and warmth inside, rain in the town and snow by the fjords, short days and dark
nights, rough nature and real culture, cold snow and hot food.

To ‘Go Viking in the fjords’ means:

letting your thirst for adventure loose in the fjords
           where the Vikings come from,
                 in a wilder season.

Tone of voice

Textual guidelines apply to the concept ‘Go Viking in the fjords’.
The guidelines apply to all languages.

1. The concept’s textual tone and temperature incorporate Fjord Norway’s own linguistic guidelines, discussed in the
   brand platform:
   When you are going to write about the world’s most beautiful fjords, you should use beautiful words and
   communicate directly with the reader. The reader should get the feeling that you are from the fjords. You should
   speak to the heart and play on the senses and feelings. All of this is intended to create a desire. A desire to
   experience. But the words you use are not enough alone. You also communicate inadequacy and a desire to
   communicate an experience. You just can’t quite manage it.

2. The concept ‘Go Viking in the fjords’, is inquisitive, exploratory, authentic and positive. It must be reflected in the
   words we use and the texts we write.

3. Texts about ‘Go Viking in the fjords’ should draw parallels between the Viking Age and Western Norway today.
Stories, traditions and references from the Viking Age that are relevant today, can be used to give the concept relevance
and strength. It should not, however, be a look back at history. References to the Viking Age must, as far as possible, be
based on facts.

4. The choice of words should inspire the target group to consider us as their next holiday destination.
Here are a few words that we would like to be used, and a few that we rather were not.
The list only contains examples.
Seek out, not visit.
Experience, not see.
Explore, not observe.
Listen, not hear.
Would like to, not must.
Taste, not eat
Do, not hesitate.

5. See examples of text use in the visual presentations in this presentation.

If you are going to use these guidelines, but you don’t understand them or want to check that you have understood them
correctly, contact project owner for ‘Go Viking in the fjords’, Britt Hege D. Karlsen (britt-hege@fjordnorway.com).

Criteria for the choice of photos
These criteria apply primarily to future selection and are therefore used more as an aid in the first campaign pulse.

1. Macro or situational photos
   We should endeavour to get up close to what we are going to take a photo of, or choose photos that give us an
   overview of the situation from a distance.

2. Show the season and variation – preferably capture the wildness
   In all photos, where relevant, we should strive to capture the season. Be it autumn, winter or spring. We shall show
   our region from a slightly wilder side – and dare to show more wind and wild weather. The style should be real and
   authentic – and show the contrasts in experiences of the weather and nature in the seasons in question.

3. Professional photos
   We shall be genuine and honest, but we should choose photos that show Western Norway from its very best side. We
   are not going to make a glossy fashion catalogue from the mountains, but we must ensure that the photos are of high
   professional quality. Professional photos can be adjusted or manipulated, but not to the extent that reality
   disappears. Professionalism applies when both taking photos and selecting motifs.

4. Take photos of real people – not artificially composed photos of people
   We want to show people and settlements. When we take photos of people, they should be in their natural element.
   They should be active, e.g. walking up a hill, drinking coffee on a quay or doing another activity. It is important that
   the challenge level varies. We should not show artificially composed photos of groups or individuals looking at the
   camera and smiling.

5. Choice of food photos
   When we are going to use photos of food, we must either choose macro or situational photos of local food or the
   production of local food. Fish, lamb and fruit are particularly unique for our region. We must promote them.

6. Nature
   When we are going to show nature, we must always bear in mind its accessibility. We should show what we are proud
   of, but we must also remember to show people, settlements and boats on the fjord. We want to show the drama of the
   scenery and that people live in this landscape.

7. Extreme
   We should not be extreme or encourage dangerous situations. We are sporty, active, inquisitive and want to inspire
   the target group’s thirst for adventure. This is not the same as encouraging extreme sports or creating a fear of death.

8. Activities
   The photos shall show activities that are actually available in the region.

Photo style – briefing for photographers/cinematographers

The concept’s photo style is characterised by Western Norway in the period October to April. People, weather and
nature should vary and be authentic. The photos or atmosphere shall reflect the seasons and the contrasts we
have made reference to. From mystical, fjords enveloped in mist to sunny autumn days. The islands and skerries
of the coast and up steep majestic mountains. Dark, starlit nights followed by bright mornings with the freshest
air you can imagine.

The feelings the photos inspire in the target group should primarily be the joy of exploring something new. The
thirst for adventure should not just be in nature, up high mountains and deep fjords. The thirst for adventure
should also be about indoor experiences. Urban and cultural experiences. We shall not look for the extreme when
we show activities, but nor must we be afraid of showing the pleasure of physical exhaustion or feeling the sweat
on your back. We get up close when we must and take a step back when we can. We avoid the ordinary, halfway
between. The concept’s photo style follows the guidelines for the parent brand Fjord Norway. The photos should
have the wow factor and inspire those who see them to take part in something exceptional and unique.

If you are going to take photos or make a film for the ‘Go Viking in the fjords’ concept, but you don’t understand
them or want to check that you have understood them correctly, contact project owner for ‘Go Viking in the
fjords’, Britt Hege D. Karlsen (britt-hege@fjordnorway.com).

Visual and textual examples

Here are some visual and textual examples of how the ‘Go Viking in the fjords’ concept can be applied.

We have grouped the examples into:
• Fjord Spectacular
• Fjord City
• Fjord Line
• Fjord Touch

The fjord landscape
                                             Norwegian Scenic Routes
                                            Geiranger & the Nærøyfjord

                                             FjordSpectacular
                                                                                      Skiing:
                                                                                      Voss & Stranda

                                                                         FjordTouch
                                FjordCity
       Bergen City of Culture                                                         Hiking:
    Ålesund City of Adventure                                                         Preikestolen & Trolltunga++
Stavanger City of Gastronomy                                                          Glaciers:
                                                                                      Jostedalsbreen &
                                                                                      Folgefonna

                                                  FjordLife

                                                      Viking
                                                   Local culture
                                                 The entrepreneur

FjordSpectacular

                   Photo: NLE film/Fjord Norway

                     Explore the fjords between October and April and bring out the Viking in you.

FjordSpectacular

                   Photo: NLE film/Fjord Norway

                        Between October and April it’s so silent, you can almost hear the Viking spirits

FjordTouch

             Photo: Tomasz Furmanek/Visitnorway.com

               Explore the fjords the Vikings mastered.

FjordTouch

             Photo: Martin Håndlykken/Visitnorway

               The forces of nature, once battled by Vikings, are now seeking new challengers.

FjordTouch

             Photo: Flåm Guideservice

               Now you can explore the awe-inspiring nature and landscape that our Viking ancestors enjoyed.

FjordLife

            Photo: Cornelius på holmen.

              Traditionally the Vikings preserved their food – we have preserved that tradition for you.

FjordLife

            Photo: Kaitlin Bailey / Matador Network

              SKÅL – we still toast like the Vikings did, just the variety of beers to taste has increased.

FjordLife

            Photo: Smalahovetunet.

                  You can choose chicken or you can go Viking!

FjordLife

            Photo: Hotel Union, Rune Hagen

              Try our SPA for Vikings - winter has never been more comfortable.

FjordCity

            Photo: Bergen Reiselivslag / Christer Rønnestad

             The Vikings celebrated «jul» (Xmas) and we still do, so come and join us.

FjordCity

            Photo: M. Dickson/Foap/ Visitnorway

                Once Viking farms, today colourful villages in the fjords, come and explore them all year round.