Press release -
CloseUp PR chosen by VisitSweden to engage 'Nordic Noir' fans to visit southern Sweden
The Öresund bridge. Photo ©Janus Longhorn/imagebank.sweden.se
In recent years Swedish and Scandinavian thrillers and dramas have become hugely popular in the UK, via TV series such as Denmark’s 'The Killing', Sweden’s Stieg Larsson's books and film adaptations of 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo', Henning Mankell's books and TV films featuring detective 'Wallander', and more recently the Swedish/Danish series 'The Bridge' and the Danish series '1864', which is currently showing on BBC4.
VisitSweden, which is Sweden’s official travel and tourist agency tasked with promoting Sweden abroad, is running a campaign entitled 'The Bridge Experience', alongside Tourism in Skåne and Malmö Tourism, to entice fans of the Nordic Noir genre to visit southern Sweden, the home of popular thriller dramas 'Wallander' and 'The Bridge'.
CloseUp PR and sister company CloseUp Productions have been chosen to work on the campaign project as PR and Marketing Consultants and content producers. The work includes producing content for tourist guides, content and social media marketing, event organising and arranging cross-promotions such as the current competition 'Win a trip for two to Sweden' with Nordic Noir and sponsoring the upcoming Nordicana festival, which takes place in London 6-7 June at The Troxy. CloseUp will also work on a number of press and PR events planned in Sweden and in the UK later this year in the lead up to the BBC premiere of the third series of "The Bridge".
"We've chosen to work with CloseUp on this project because they have a unique knowledge of working across different platforms with film, TV, print, PR and event marketing on Sweden/UK related projects", says Gabriel Dorch, Project Manager at VisitSweden.
"The Bridge Experience campaign suits us perfectly as we have long-standing experience in the film business as well as connecting British and Swedish food and entertainment culture,” says Monika Agorelius, Managing Director of CloseUp PR and CloseUp Productions.
Monika Agorelius is Swedish born and has lived and worked in the UK since 1988. "In recent years I've seen an increasing interest in the UK for Swedish lifestyle and culture", she says. "Swedish food is popular in the UK, and Swedish restaurants and stores are popping up all over the place. There is a strong curiosity for Brits to travel to Sweden and experience the Swedish lifestyle first hand. I believe that’s partly down to the popularity of Scandinavian TV series, films and novels in the UK, and I enjoy being a part of introducing British people to Sweden.”
Southern Sweden is considered a perfect tourist destination for Brits. It's easy to fly from the UK directly to Copenhagen, catch the train across the Öresund bridge – the focus of TV’s 'The Bridge' – stay in Malmö to experience a picturesque yet vibrant city life, with beautiful beaches, Michelin star restaurants and much more. A short train ride away is the city of Ystad, where 'Wallander' is set.
"An event like Nordicana is the perfect proof of how hugely popular Sweden and the Nordic countries are to the Brits. At the two previous Nordicana events, in 2013 and 2014, Brits turned up in their thousands to celebrate Nordic films, food and culture and since this year's festival coincides with Sweden's National Day on the 6th of June the festival will be a celebration of all things Swedish, including a market place where another CloseUp client, TotallySwedish, will be represented", says Monika Agorelius.
Nordicana is the UK’s only festival of Scandinavian drama and fiction. This year’s event (6-7 June at the Troxy), plays host to stars such as Sofia Helin ('The Bridge'), Sofie Gråbøl ('The Killing', 'Fortitude') as well as the leading actors from popular series such as 'The Legacy', 'Borgen' and '1864'. Full programme here. Tickets are available now.
