Vienna Tourist Board: Vienna Bites
The Vienna Tourist Board tasked agency Seite Zwei with promoting the city's 2026 culinary theme to an international audience. They needed a campaign that moved beyond traditional food marketing to capture global attention. The goal was to position Vienna as a world-class gastronomic destination by creating a compelling, shareable narrative that would resonate with modern travelers and drive significant digital engagement.
Creative Idea
Vampires haunt Vienna specifically to feast on the city's irresistibly delicious gourmet blood.
The campaign reframes Vienna as a vampire haven, suggesting the city's world-class culinary scene makes local blood so delicious that it attracts the undead. This ironic twist transforms historical superstition into a compelling, atmospheric invitation to experience the city's gastronomy.
The Culinary Conspiracy That Haunted Vienna
A Global Appetite for Blood
The campaign launched on January 30, 2026, serving as the centerpiece for the Vienna Bites culinary theme. It achieved massive digital penetration, securing nearly 28 million views within the first month. By March 2026, the short film had surpassed 40 million global views, successfully reaching key tourism markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and South Korea.
From Historical Myth to Modern Screen
The production utilized a blend of high-end cinematography and authentic Viennese landmarks. Directed by Bianca Poletti and produced by Muellers Bureau, the film was shot on location at iconic sites such as the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Café Schwarzenberg, and the Hotel Sacher. The narrative cleverly subverts the 1725 historical investigation by Gerard van Swieten, who originally debunked vampirism. By framing the city’s top culinary figures—including Lukas Mraz and Anton Pozeg—as unwitting accomplices who "fatten up" locals with elite gastronomy, the film turns the city's food culture into the ultimate vampire bait.
Scoring the Undead
The atmospheric tension was heightened by an original score composed by Morgan Kibby, known for her work with M83 and Lady Gaga, in collaboration with the indie band The Graveyard Club. The project’s technical execution involved a global post-production effort, with editing by Dusten Zimmerman at Cabin Edit in London and sound design by Field Day. This meticulous attention to detail ensured the film tapped into the current pop-culture trend of high-profile horror aesthetics, effectively positioning Vienna as a destination where history, dark folklore, and world-class dining collide.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
The brand leveraged Vienna's authentic, high-end culinary heritage and its genuine historical connection to 18th-century vampire folklore.
Category
Tourism boards typically rely on generic, sunny imagery of landmarks and plated food to attract visitors.
Customer
Travelers crave unique, story-driven experiences that offer more than just a standard sightseeing checklist.
Culture
The global resurgence of atmospheric, high-production horror aesthetics in pop culture provided the perfect hook for this narrative.
Company
The brand leveraged Vienna's authentic, high-end culinary heritage and its genuine historical connection to 18th-century vampire folklore.
Category
Tourism boards typically rely on generic, sunny imagery of landmarks and plated food to attract visitors.
Strategy:
Use dark, immersive storytelling to transform a mundane destination attribute into a legendary, must-visit experience.
Customer
Travelers crave unique, story-driven experiences that offer more than just a standard sightseeing checklist.
Culture
The global resurgence of atmospheric, high-production horror aesthetics in pop culture provided the perfect hook for this narrative.
Strategy:
Use dark, immersive storytelling to transform a mundane destination attribute into a legendary, must-visit experience.
Strategy Technique
Create a Parallel World
By inventing a secret history where vampires hunt for gourmet blood, the campaign turns a standard destination marketing brief into an immersive, high-stakes narrative that makes the city's food culture feel legendary.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Create Fantasy Worlds, People and Things
The campaign builds a fictional, dark, and stylish vampire universe layered over real Viennese locations. This fantasy world makes the city's culinary reputation feel dangerous, alluring, and impossible to ignore.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign elevates travel marketing through lush cinematic direction, striking gothic art direction, and a witty copywriting twist on Viennese culinary culture.
Rich chiaroscuro lighting, deep color saturation, and sensual macro close-ups turn Viennese food and night scenes into cinematic art.
Impeccable blend of 18th-century Austrian heritage aesthetics with modern gothic fashion and high-end dining ambiance.
Clever storytelling framing vampire mythology around Vienna's world-class culinary scene and high quality of living.
Meticulous selection of iconic Viennese settings, from authentic butcher shops to historic cafes and opulent dining halls.
“The seamless harmony between the moody cinematography, aristocratic art direction, and dark narrative voiceover transforms a destination campaign into a hypnotic short film.”
