Screaming into the Wilderness: How Iceland’s “Let It Out” Campaign Won at Travel Marketing

Have you ever felt like you just needed to scream?

I get it, and Iceland does too! That’s why, back in 2020, when the world was at peak stress, Visit Iceland, gave everyone the permission to quite literally let it out … straight into their sunning wide open wilderness.

In, what I would say is, a genius move of blending humor, emotional release, and breathtaking scenery, Iceland launched their “Let It Out” campaign. It was an open invitation for all to record their screams online, then have it broadcasted through speakers places in some of Iceland’s more beautiful (and remote) landscapes.

It wasn’t just clever marketing. It tapped into something deeper. Iceland recognized that the world didn’t need another travel ad, rather an emotional release that most people didn’t even realize they craved. Let’s dive into why this became one of the smartest social media campaigns in travel and what we can all, myself included, learn from it.

When the World Needed More Than Just a Vacation

In 2020, the world came to standstill. Borders closed. Trips were cancelled. Unless you were considered essential (and thank you to every medical professional and first responder), you were home on lockdown stuck in some stage of cabin fever. Imagine trying to market travel during a time when people couldn’t even leave their houses. Talk about an identity crisis! While most brands stayed quiet, whispered reassurances, or did the awkwardly leaned on “dream now, travel later” messaging, Visit Iceland went in a completely different direction.

How It Worked: Simple, Brilliant, and Very Screamy

Here is how Let It Out turned a simple idea into marketing magic in three gloriously cathartic steps:

Step 1: People would visit the campaign website and recorded themselves screaming into their phones or computers.

Step 2: Iceland’s tourism board broadcast those screams across the country through loudspeakers set up in jaw dropping locations. Mountaintops. Cliffs, Waterfalls. Iceland basically said “Go ahead and lose it, we’ve got the view for it!)

Step 3: Social media took over. Reaction videos, memes, and user-generated content FLOODED Instagram, twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. The campaign went viral.

Why It Worked: Travel Marketing Lessons from the Land of Fire and Ice

Let’s get to the good stuff … Why did this campaign actually work? Because more than just a fun stunt, Let It Out was a masterclass in travel marketing: emotional, bold, and completely on-brand.

Emotional Relevance Always Wins

While most brands were tiptoeing around the collective meltdown, Iceland leaned right into it. They didn’t offer reassurance or sugarcoat anything. They said what everyone was thinking and feeling: “This sucks. Here’s a safe and beautiful place to completely lose it for a minute or two.”

The Lesson: By meeting people where they are emotionally, not where you want them to be, you create something that feels human, not corporate.

Simplicity = Shareability

No app. No filters. No contest where you have to tag 3 friends and share to your story. The campaign’s brilliance was in its simplicity. It was so relatable that people couldn’t help but talk about it. TikTok reactions, Instagram memes, and duets rolled in.

The Lesson: If you need a PowerPoint to explain your idea, it’s not going to go viral. Keep it simple enough that someone can explain it over coffee. Or better yet, drinks!

Nature as the Hero

Let’s be honest, Iceland’s landscape did a lot of the heavy lifting here. I mean have you seen photos? Endless cliffs, crashing waves, moss-covered lava fields. The place looks like it was built for Instagram, and they leaned into that. Smart. By anchoring the scream to the location itself, Iceland reminded people exactly why it belongs at the top of their travel list.

The Lesson: Great travel marketing doesn’t just sell a place. It sells a feeling tied to that place. Let your destination’s natural magic speak for itself.

Humor to Heal (and Hook)

If we’re being honest, the idea of screaming into a canyon is a little silly. But also kind of genius. It gave people permission to let go of their stress in a way that was both hilarious and healing. That’s the magic of emotional goodwill. When a brand creates a positive emotional association that people can carry with them long after the moment is over. Let It Out wasn’t just memorable. It made people feel lighter. That’s the kind of brand connection you can’t manufacture.

The Lesson: When in doubt, make people feel good. Brands that spark joy, especially in travel, stay top of mind long after the moment passes and the memories are all that linger.

Final Boarding Call: What Travel Marketers Can Learn

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Final Boarding Call: What Travel Marketers Can Learn .

At a time when most travel brands went quiet, Visit Iceland shouted. Literally. And people listened. Let It Out created a moment, a movement, and a memory without anyone ever needing to step on a plane. (Not that they could at the time, anyways.) That’s powerful marketing and a reminder that bold beats safe every time.

You may not have Icelandic cliffs in your backyard (and if you do, I’m jealous), but here’s how you can take a page from this campaign for your next big marketing move:

• Meet people where they are emotionally

• Keep the concept simple and shareable

• Let your product (or destination) be the natural hero

• Never underestimate the power of humor and humanity

It’s a noisy world, and a dynamic industry. Sometimes the best way to cut through the noise and be heard is to scream louder, and smarter, than everyone else.