Ireland positions itself as a Halloween hotspot

The creeping (and creepy) importance of All Hallows Eve in the Western World’s collective calendar has persuaded Tourism Ireland to stake a claim to the annual festival.

Much like the recent Switzerland Tourism advert, Tourism Ireland is also keen to sell to us on the merits of its autumn season, through a campaign crafted by Publicis London.

Titled ‘Home of Halloween’ the film taps into the spooky holiday’s ancient Irish roots. The 60-second centrepiece of the campaign, directed by Leonn Ward and produced by Irish agency Tiny Ark, brings the origins of Halloween to life.

The campaign will roll out across TV, cinema, and social media, supported by shorter clips and stills for online platforms.

There is some historic relevance to the advert, Creative Moment readers will be pleased to hear. Over 2,000 years ago, the festival of Samhain marked the thinning of the veil between the living and the dead—an ancient tradition that continues to be honored across Ireland today.

This campaign aims to reclaim that heritage, positioning Halloween as a cultural experience best appreciated on the Emerald Isle. There’s also a heavy emphasis on how Ireland remains an escapist’s paradise, with little changing in the last 1,000 years in some of its key rural locations.

The ad’s creative

Filmed on 16mm in black and white, the ad comes complete with haunting scenes of shadowy forests, ancient tombs, rugged cliffs, rolling hills, and eerie reenactments of Halloween’s earliest rituals.

A dark, ominous voice narrates the action, guiding viewers through age-old traditions, like a woman carving a turnip by firelight to craft a traditional jack-o’-lantern, and villagers in costume ascending a hill toward a bonfire-lit celebration.

A modern take

The campaign blends these historic rituals with modern Halloween customs, culminating in an invitation to “Visit the Home of Halloween.”

Positioning Ireland as a place for Halloween tourism is a shrewd move. Following America’s lead, Halloween has gained massive popularity in the United Kingdom in recent years, turning into one of the country’s biggest cultural and commercial events, and topping £419m in spend.

Tourism Ireland’s historic backstory repositions Halloween as a time to return to nature and enjoy a few traditional activities.

There’s not a pumpkin in sight in the ad. Instead, Ireland has opted to embrace a more ‘Wicker Man’ type aesthetic. Without the tragic ending, we hope.

If you want to read about more campaigns in our Travel Issue that take us closer to nature, you can check them out below...

Switzerland tourism urges us to touch grass

Hyundai champions EV spontaneity in glorious journey from Perth to Sydney

Ireland positions itself as a Halloween hotspot

Campaign images courtesy of Tourism Ireland.