Fortune favours the Brave VisitScotland chiefs hope

Scotland’s national tourism body has launched its largest-ever global advertising campaign to coincide with the release of the new animation Brave.

• £7 million campaign expected to reach about 80 million worldwide

• Brave expected to boost Scotland’s economy by £140m

VisitScotland is spending £7 million on the project, which is expected to reach about 80 million people worldwide.

Officials hope the film, which is set in a mythical Scotland, will attract extra visitors from around the world and boost the country’s economy by £140m.

Details of the advertising push emerged ahead of last night’s world premiere of the Disney/Pixar movie in Los Angeles.

First Minister Alex Salmond and VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay were expected at the event.

Speaking from California, Mr Cantlay said the film, which will be shown in 72 countries across the world, represents a “great opportunity for Scottish tourism”.

“This will be the first time we’ve been able to run a tele- vision advert out here in North America for ten years,” he said. “In total, around the world, it should touch 80 million people.

“This is a great opportunity on the back of the movie to try and encourage people, once they’ve seen it, to hopefully come and see us in Scotland.

“We’re also working very closely with Disney on a whole range of different initiatives.

“We have displays in 100 Disney stores across Europe, for instance, and we’re doing different things with different divisions of Disney in cinemas as the movie rolls out across the world, so it’s a huge opportunity.”

Set in the Highlands, Brave follows the journey of Merida, a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. The characters are voiced by actors Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson respectively.

Mr Cantlay praised the look of the film, as well as its depiction of the Scottish character.

He said: “The pictures are stunning and America’s going daft for this movie. The first thing I saw when I flew into Los Angeles was a great big billboard for Brave and we hadn’t even landed.

“I think the really special thing is how the Scottish character is depicted and the acting talent have done such a wonderful job to explore that.”

The campaign will showcase Scotland through the TV and cinema advert, a new website and marketing in countries such as France and Germany, as well as in the UK.

The film will arrive in UK cinemas in August, although its British premiere will be held this month on the closing night of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Mr Salmond will this week be touring the US west coast in an effort to drum up tourism and business investment.