Summer is over, pumpkin spice lattes are back, spooky season is coming. A new campaign from Tourism Ireland dives headfirst into this  Halloween excitement, by sharing the countries’ ancient traditions and positioning Ireland as the go-to spooky destination.

The campaign, created by Publicis London, celebrates Ireland’s ancient traditions. Over 2,000 years ago, the festival of Samhain marked the thinning of the veil between the living and the dead, a tradition forgotten by the rest of the world but still honoured across Ireland today. The campaign, Home of Halloween, tells the story of this festival and encourages visitors to experience Halloween where it all began.

A hero film tells the origin stories of Halloween in dramatic black and white. The theatrical footage showcases the illustrious landscapes of Irelands and uses a rugged voice-over and haunting score to transport audiences back.

The voice-over tells the story of the festival of Samhain and shares the evolution of Halloween traditions showing a woman carving a turnip by candle light. Striking footage of villagers in costume walking toward a bonfire-lit festival show off the picturesque Irish scenes. From shadowy woodlands, neolithic tombs and rolling hills, the campaign uses storytelling to showcase the beauty of Ireland.

The film was directed by Leonn Ward, shot on 16mm, and was produced by Irish agency, Tiny Ark.

Concluding with a colour shot in the modern day, the film invites audiences to visit Ireland and engage in the modern-day festivities. A final call to action from the voice over says: Visit the Home of Halloween.

The hero film will roll out across TV, cinema and social, and be supported by a cut-down versions of the film as well as a suite of 20 stills shot on 35mm.

“Halloween is one of the world’s favourite festivals but not everyone knows that it originated here in Celtic culture around 2,000 years ago. At Tourism Ireland, we’ve worked with academics and experts to trace the story back and then bring it to life, through scenery, storytelling and culture, with modern-day appeal, given the fabulous festivals there are to enjoy across the island. We look forward to welcoming visitors and bringing valuable tourism business to communities across the island in the autumn season,” says Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland.

In the same way that St Patrick’s Day draws in crowds for early spring visits, the campaign aims to position Halloween as another authentic ‘must visit’ reason to enjoy a trip to Ireland in mid-autumn.

Celebrating tradition the campaign finds a unique way to promote tourism in the off-season, while authentically showcasing the uniqueness and beauty of Ireland.