Belize is a small Central American country with oversized charm. The problem was that it wasn’t at the top of mind for most travelers—many of whom couldn’t find it on a map. Few knew that Belize boasts the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere, has some of the best-preserved Maya archeological sites in the world, and a vibrant culture of music, art, food and dance flavored by its rich mix of Mestizo, Garifuna, and English heritage.

What Belize didn’t realize at the time was that it’s uniqueness was exactly what tourists want: a place off the beaten path with a vibe all of its own. We helped Belize realize that their voice should be…their voice. And then we helped them deliver it in unexpected ways to reach travelers across North America. To compete with the large budgets of competing destinations, we had to be smart and scrappy.

The team at Olson had been building the new Belize brand when I arrived there. My team was tasked with bringing it to life. Over the course of four years, we made multiple cross-channel campaigns, built a new website, and delivered numerous PR experiential campaigns—winning many awards on the way. But the number one result was this: year after year, Belizes tourism grew, which impacted the small nation’s GDP and helped the wonderful people of Belize.

Agency: OLSON/ICF NEXT
Creative Team: David Fiedler (AD), Ryan Inda (CD), Britt Ryan (AD/Design), Steph Larsen (AD/Design)