The Polite Tourist Bouncer Returns

Icelandair has announced the second phase of its ‘The Polite Tourist Bouncer’ campaign, by social media agency Kubbco.

First launched in October 2023, the campaign centred on a mockumentary-style film introducing Hugi, Icelandair’s ‘polite bouncer’, and highlighting the benefits of Icelandair's stopover offering, where customers between European and North American destinations can book to stay in Iceland at no additional cost. Hugi’s job was to ensure tourists did not overstay their stopover. But due to their love for Iceland, this was easier said than done.

For phase two, Hugi returns again in a newly launched social media video called ‘The Returning Stopover Tourist’. A business traveller is interviewed at the airport about her work trip, which she ensures is far from a ‘cheat holiday’. The film cuts to scenes of her exploring the island’s striking natural landscapes before Hugi appears, frantically waving a ‘maximum seven day stopover’ sign. It spotlights how business can too easily become pleasure in Iceland, and why visitors just don’t want to leave.

The second phase, accompanied by an image series that will run across Instagram and YouTube from 27 February to 27 March, highlights how Icelandair’s stopover offer can also be accessed by return business travellers.

‘The Polite Tourist Bouncer’ has proved highly successful for Icelandair, leading to YoY growth in stopover bookings that averaged a 25% increase during the campaign months. Alongside this, a flurry of positive comments, like “This new marketing campaign is genius”, and above average view-through rate for the video content, prove Hugi’s audience appeal.