VisitScotland, Scotland”s tourism organisation, and The Walt Disney Company EMEA have unveiled an innovative marketing campaign to promote Scottish tourism around the forthcoming Disney Pixar film Brave, which is set in the Scottish Highlands and features some of Scotland”s biggest stars.

This partnership is the first time Disney has teamed up on this scale with a country”s tourism organisation around the launch of one of its films.

According to VisitScotland, the two partners will “begin working immediately to create a campaign around the new animated adventure, which is released around the world this summer.” It will include multi-media activities “such as joint TV and cinema advertising across the UK, North America and Europe, PR opportunities, digital marketing and events including premieres and screenings that will continue through the film”s home entertainment release. The campaign will see Scotland”s scenery, humour and culture showcased on an unprecedented scale and will position Scotland on the world stage in a way not seen since Braveheart”.

VisitScotland Chairman Mike Cantlay, added: “This is an incredible opportunity to extend the reach of VisitScotland”s marketing activity across the world.  This film will be shown in 70 countries and will give us the opportunity to convert cinema-goers into visitors in the biggest campaign VisitScotland has ever launched. There are very few tourism destinations that get to work so closely with the world”s largest entertainment companies – and this gives us an unprecedented opportunity to put Scotland on the worldwide stage with a new audience.”

Tricia Wilber, chief marketing officer, Walt Disney Company EMEA, said: “Brave takes its inspiration from the majesty and mystery of Scotland, and features the voices of many much-loved Scottish stars, so it”s fitting to create a campaign with VisitScotland to bring to life the landscapes and folklore that inspired the film.”


Tapping into Scotland”s history of epic battles and mystical legends, Brave is centred on the courageous Merida (the voice of Kelly Macdonald), who confronts tradition and challenges destiny to change her fate.

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, she defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of Scotland. Her actions unleash chaos and fury in the family, and when she turns to an eccentric Witch  for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of bravery to undo a curse before it”s too late.



Brave is directed by Mark Andrews (Ratatouille and The Incredibles) and Brenda Chapman (The Lion King and Prince of Egypt), produced by Katherine Sarafian (The Incredibles and Lifted) and scored by Patrick Doyle. It reaches UK cinemas in August, and will be in 3D.