SS Great Britain
About
This visitor attraction in Bristol is a museum ship, famously designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a famous Civil and Naval Engineer. The SS Great Britain was the first propeller driven iron ship designed to sail the Oceans. When launched in 1843, it held the record as the largest ship ever built. Its Transatlantic service, and Australian service culminated with becoming a bulk coal transporter, ending up being scuttled in the Falklands Islands just before WWII. In 1970 an epic recovery and restoration was launched. Now situated in Bristol, Great Western Dockyard, attracting over 150,000 visitors a year.
Problem
To promote the new tastebud sensory exhibition called ‘Dishes of Discovery’ during the summer months to boost visitor numbers after a fall in visitor numbers caused by the pandemic.
Within days this immersive attraction had to close its doors due to the Covid 19 outbreak. Gaining data from visitors was paramount for future marketing decisions, specific questions needed to be asked to gain a better insight into audience profiles.
Plan of Action
An engagement team dressed up in Victorian costumes approached and startled visitors in the Bristol area by asking them to sniff a converted pepper pot. Some smelt of Bacon, to stimulate the smells from the huge kitchens used to feed 100’s of passengers and crew. The other smelt of carbolic soap, made from coal tar and used as an antiseptic soap.
Visitors were asked to guess what the smell was, after answering, the team engaged further to explain that a fantastic sensory tasting exhibition was not to be missed, leaflets where then handed out, encouraging a visit to this incredible historic museum ship.
Key Outcome
A combined visual (Victorian Costumes), smell (Bacon and Carbolic Soap) and tactile (printed leaflet) experience would lead the prospecting visitor to taste and hear the sounds of food being prepared and sampled onboard SS Great Britain, reflecting the new flavours of the world experienced by Victorian travellers. Visitor numbers increased, with a five senses sensory experience, certainly being shared on social media and word of mouth with friends and family.