Iceland Wants to Collect Your Screams and Release Them Into Its Remote Wilderness

Whether you've been wrangling small children while juggling endless client calls, have lost your job, or are just sick of an endlessly negative news cycle, chances are good you could do with letting off a little steam. Iceland's tourism board has spotted an opportunity to market itself as a destination where you can do just that. In its latest spot, the first for Promote Iceland by M&C Saatchi Group, it invites travelers to go there and scream, as loud as they like, into the island nation's stunning vast wilderness. "Looks like you’ve been through a lot. It looks like you need to let it out somewhere big, beautiful and open. It looks like you need Iceland," the film says. [kickout id="1"] The spot for the campaign, developed by sister agencies SS+K and M&C Saatchi U.K., shows several frustrated people in highly relatable lockdown situations–reeling at the gloomy news, staring at the TV but finding nothing good to watch, struggling to complete a jigsaw, and poorly cutting their own hair. As each releases a scream, they are transported to the Nordic nation. Iceland began welcoming EU visitors back to the country on June 15, with the option of paying $63 to get tested for coronavirus upon arrival instead of a mandatory 14-day quarantine. U.S. residents are currently not allowed to visit Iceland or other nations in Europe due to America's ongoing Covid-19 crisis. For those who can't get to the country physically, the campaign invites people to record their screams and upload them to LooksLikeYouNeedIceland.com for the tourism board to play them, loudly, in a remote location. That way, even if you can't escape your situations, at least your frustrations can. Those who do send in their screams can choose to have them played from seven destinations, including the peak of Festarfjall in Reykjanes Peninsula, the tranquil shores of Djúpivogur in East Iceland or the roaring Skógarfoss waterfall in the south. The campaign will run in the US, U.K, Germany, Canada and Denmark for the next two weeks. [kickout id="2"] “Across the world, people have been through a lot in the last few months. We empathise and want to do what we can to help people relieve their frustrations," said Sigríður Dögg Guðmundsdóttir, head of Visit Iceland. "We are lucky enough to have vast open spaces and beautiful nature that is the perfect place to let out frustrations. We feel this is just what the world needs. And when people are ready to resume traveling, they can come and experience it for themselves.” CREDITS: SS+K Partner: Lenny Stern Executive creative director: Stevie Archer Managing director, production and operations: John Swartz Agency and client lead: Amy Frisch Account director: José Salgado Agency producer: Craig von Wiederhold Creative director: Daniel Bremmer Senior strategist: Elena Claro Managing director, strategy group: Kevin Skobac M&C Saatchi UK Senior copywriter: Camila Gurgel Senior art director: Ieva Paulina: Peel Managing directors: Magnús Magnússon, Egill Thordarson Designer: Einar Guðmundsson Animator: Arnar Jónsson M&C Saatchi TALK (Global PR Hub) Global managing director: Chris Hides: Director: Sophie Hayes Senior associate director: Lauren Hunt-Morgan Senior account manager: Jade Beaty Account manager: Maia Quinn Firefall Founder, chief technologist: Scott Park Producer: Nancy Tran Skot Productions Directors: Samuel & Gunnar Executive producer: Hlynur Sigurðsson Head of production / producer: Birna Paulina Einarsdóttir.