If there’s ever a travel campaign that’s been so desperately needed in light of the current climate, it’s this quirky one from the ice-cool folks at Iceland Tourism. The idea? Record your stressed-out scream via their cool website and have it blasted out across the country’s stunning landscapes to help soothe your soul.
In the wise words of the great Icelanders themselves… “You’ve been through a lot this year and it looks like you need the perfect place to let your frustrations out. Somewhere big, vast and untouched. It looks like you need Iceland. Record your scream and we’ll release it in Iceland’s beautiful, wide-open spaces. And when you’re ready, come let it out for real. You’ll feel better, we promise.”
Creative, random and beautifully executed, this campaign from Visit Iceland is a little bit of fun and a welcome relief from the continual negative news hitting our inboxes every day.
The idea is simple. Record your scream and it’ll then get blasted out across the countries epic landscapes, helping you feel better in the process.
They’ll also send you a shareable recording of your scream for posterity.
You can even choose from one of seven different locations in Iceland, all of which you can watch live on the website through their clever webcams.
As the land of the midnight sun, and given its the height of summer in Iceland right now, it never gets dark, which makes it even more enjoyable for viewing anytime.
Ahh, I feel better already just from watching the webcams. Oh, and here’s my lame effort.
So where did the inspo for this ‘out there’ campaign come from? According to Zoe Aston, a Therapist & Mental Health Consultant featured on the site, it’s all about activating our amygdala.
“Screaming as a therapeutic tool was developed in the 1970s as a way to release pent-up emotion. What we don’t realise is that the psychological response to wanting to scream lights up a part of our brains called the amygdala. the amygdala activates when we are under threat, something we have all experienced in the past few months.”
Zoe Aston, Therapist & Mental Health Consultant
“Part of the beneficial effect of screaming comes from being able to make a loud noise into a wide, open, undisturbed space. this literally allows your amygdala to release the stress stored there and move forward.” She says.
Science aside, i’ll try anything right now to feel better.
So, ready to scream? Here’s how
- Consider what your ‘scream’ will be. Some people will use volume; some will use words; some may even use the breath.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a slight bend in your knees. Relax your shoulders. You may find it useful to put your hands on your hips or use your arms to help push out some of the pent-up emotion. Follow your instincts.
- Imagine a baby when it cries and screams. The noise comes from the baby’s gut. This is where your scream should come from. If it helps, put your hands on your belly and take a few deep breaths before you begin.
To let some steam out in Iceland yourself, head to visiticeland.com to get started and record your scream.