Client: Visit Sweden
Visit Sweden, Sweden's national tourism board, set out to increase global awareness and attractiveness as a travel destination in a highly competitive market dominated by iconic landmarks and dramatic scenery. Lacking traditional “tourism icons,” Sweden needed a distinctive and relevant way to stand out internationally. The solution was built on three key insights: the rapid growth of wellness tourism, the global rise of social and nature-based prescriptions for mental health, and Sweden’s consistently high rankings in quality of life and wellbeing. We transformed Sweden from a destination into a treatment, and travel into preventive healthcare. This led to The Swedish Prescription - the world’s first country available on prescription. Developed in collaboration with senior professor Yvonne Forsell at Karolinska Institutet supported by doctors from several countries, the campaign framed a trip to Sweden as a treatment for stress and imbalance. Through a digital platform, visitors and healthcare professionals could access evidence-based prescriptions built around Swedish lifestyle elements such as nature, sauna, fika (a Swedish daily coffee ritual focusing on connection), culture, and restorative rest. The campaign was launched through a humorous hero film, international PR, social media, and targeted out-of-home activations. Its PR-driven approach generated exceptional global attention. Results included over 1,800 articles in 70 countries, 4.13 billion in reach, €26.85M in earned media value, and a +227% increase in travel interest in key markets. More than 8,100 prescriptions were downloaded. The Swedish Prescription transformed Sweden from a destination into a treatment - and travel into preventive healthcare.
