Challenging Irish Stereotypes: 
A winning campaign

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, launched the ‘This Is Not Us’ campaign to challenge negative and misleading stereotypes about Ireland and its people.

The campaign aimed to highlight EPIC as the best place to authentically understand Irish culture and identity. Committed to celebrating the complexity and diversity of Irish identity, EPIC invited visitors to look beyond stereotypes and engage in a deeper exploration of what it truly means to be Irish.

Task

In 2022, the ‘This is Not Us’ campaign introduced a CGI character named Paddy McFlaherty to vividly confront common stereotypes. A quick Google search using the term “The Irish are known for…” revealed suggested results that often portrayed Irish people negatively. Paddy McFlaherty was meticulously crafted using Google’s predictive search results as the basis for his creation.

For 2023, EPIC recognised an urgent need to address the role of AI in perpetuating harmful stereotypes. When prompting a popular AI image generator to show an “Irish man,” the results consistently depicted outdated and offensive stereotypes, ranging from excessive drinking to leprechaun-like caricatures. The campaign sought to challenge these stereotypes, foster meaningful dialogue, and promote a more nuanced understanding of Irish identity.

Through visual creatives, targeted audience segments, and collaborations with media and online influencers, the campaign aimed to deliver EPIC’s key messaging and reach a wide audience, both domestically and internationally.

Approach

The creative and integrated approach for this campaign utilised Google Ads, Paid Social, and Digital PR to amplify the campaign message and drive awareness for EPIC.

PPC

The Google Ads PPC campaign was crucial in enhancing EPIC’s visibility. Visual creatives were strategically deployed across Google Display, Discover, and YouTube Networks. The campaign leveraged Custom Intent and In-Market audiences to maximise impact, while similar audiences and remarketing lists broadened reach and re-engaged previous museum visitors. Responsive ad types in Display and Discovery Ads optimised reach, and a 40-second Skippable Ad on YouTube further boosted visibility.

Paid Social

Twitter and Meta platforms were strategically used to drive awareness and site traffic through video views and traffic campaigns. Meta’s targeting included open prospecting and engagement with previous audiences. Short-form videos and static imagery were crafted to create “thumb-stopping” content that captivated scrolling audiences. Twitter’s campaign launch was timed to avoid overlap with Meta, capitalising on the platform’s unique audience and ethos.

PR

PR efforts were essential in reaching both Irish and international media outlets, focusing particularly on individuals connected to the Irish diaspora. Press releases and media kits were distributed to relevant outlets, and personalised outreach was conducted to engage influential figures who could effectively connect with their audiences and support the campaign’s message.

Additionally, we identified well-known Irish celebrities and diaspora members whom EPIC could engage via social media to amplify campaign visibility both domestically and internationally. Our strategic media relations plan encompassed diverse approaches and pitches tailored to different stages of the campaign timeline, ensuring optimised engagement with various media outlets.

Results

The ‘This Is Not Us’ campaign effectively challenged negative stereotypes about Ireland and its people through creative and innovative strategies over two years. By addressing both human and AI-generated misconceptions, the campaign promoted a more accurate understanding of Irish culture and  sparked broader discussions about cultural representation in the digital age.

The recognition and awards garnered by the campaign underscore its success and impact, highlighting the importance of collaboration and strategic amplification in driving meaningful change.

Over two summers, the ‘This Is Not Us’ campaign significantly increased awareness for EPIC, evidenced by the rise in visitor numbers and website traffic.

Combining Google Ads, Paid Social, and Digital PR achieved maximum reach and exposure. The creative use of visuals, strategic targeting, and collaboration with key influencers enhanced the campaign’s effectiveness, connecting with a broad audience.

PPC

The Google Ads PPC campaign was crucial in enhancing EPIC’s visibility. It recorded 126,982 sessions, a 159% increase. YouTube video ads garnered 65,000 views at a €0.02 CPV. Google Display saw 2.97 million impressions and 22,500 clicks at €0.07 CPC. Search impressions increased by 21%, clicks by 49%, click-through rates by 23%, and average CPC decreased by 10% compared to the previous period. 

Paid Social

Short-form videos and static imagery on Meta delivered 1.3 million impressions and an average CTR of 3.80%. The Video Views campaign achieved 914,000 video plays, with 19.8% being 100% views. The Twitter campaign displayed competitive brand awareness, with a CPM 13% lower than Meta and a high CTR of 11.94%.

PR

Throughout the 2022 and 2023 campaign runs, PR activities resulted in a reach of 4,985,671 in 2022 and 1,710,773 in 2023, with an Advertising Value Equivalency of €109,290.22 in 2022 and €50,124.83 in 2023.

Overall, the ‘This Is Not Us’ campaign successfully enhanced the understanding and appreciation of Irish culture while effectively utilising a mix of PPC, Paid Social, and PR strategies to achieve its goals.

Vroom are true partners taking the time to really understand how our business works. We always get excellent advice and have grown our business as a result. In particular, have been very happy with the media exposure from our brand campaigns.

Aileesh Carew – CEO and Museum Director, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum