The Red Sea ‘saves a place for you', highlighting the pulse of people in paradise

Campaign ME

16-05-2025

The Red Sea has revealed key details behind its recent We've Saved a Place for You campaign, which has been creating quite the buzz on social media channels for its storytelling and continuity – building on its previous Be The First campaign.
The campaign evokes an emotional truth behind the destination: that The Red Sea has always been around, waiting — not simply to be seen, but to be felt and experienced.
Rooted in the spirit of Hafawa, which refers to the unique Saudi warmth and hospitality, the campaign unveils The Red Sea as a destination designed with purpose: a reserved paradise that balances sustainability and luxury; a place where boundless experiences meet tailored personal journeys.
Structured around three campaign pillars: Reserved Paradise (Place), Boundless Spirit (Pulse) and Tailored Luxury (People), the campaign is an open invitation to reconnect with the world, with others, and with oneself through the transformative power of nature, culture and hospitality.
With this foundation, the We've Saved a Place for You campaign sets the tone for The Red Sea's evolution from an emerging destination to a benchmark in purposeful luxury tourism.
Rollout of The Red Sea We've Saved a Place for You campaign
In an exclusive conversation with Campaign Middle East, Julie Audette, Senior Director – Tourism Marketing, The Red Sea, revealed, 'We partnered with a trusted collective of creative and media specialists to bring our campaign vision to life. The creative concept and development were spearheaded by Freedom in collaboration with Beautiful Destinations, who also handled production of the hero film. Paid media strategy and execution were led by Starcom, ensuring the right channels were selected for maximum reach and performance, while The Red Sea's destination communications partner, PRCO, led the integrated consumer storytelling.'
The Red Sea adopted a data-driven, digital-first approach that enabled precise audience targeting and real-time performance optimisation.
The media mix included social platforms, paid search, and placements in luxury print titles. To amplify visibility among affluent travellers, The Red Sea also undertook activations in exclusive spaces such as private jet lounges and premium travel hubs — ensuring the brand reached audiences in lifestyle-aligned, decision-making environments.
Talking to Campaign Middle East, Elias Saroufim, Director – Paid Media and Campaigns, The Red Sea, said, 'This paid media campaign embraced a digital-first, social-led strategy to engage high-net-worth (HNWI) and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI) through premium, high-impact channels. At its core was a cinematic hero film that brought the essence of The Red Sea to life. This was supported by a broad suite of static and carousel creatives optimised for performance, designed to deepen engagement and drive conversion.'
Through continuous A/B testing and creative iteration, The Red Sea refined our messaging for maximum relevance and impact — ensuring the right story reached the right audience at the right time.
Saroufim added, 'This campaign was architected to support full-funnel objectives: from sparking initial awareness of The Red Sea as a luxury destination, to building deeper consideration, and ultimately driving bookings. Every channel was selected based on its ability to reach and resonate with HNWIs and UHNWIs at key moments in their travel planning journey.'
Audette added, 'The campaign will run until December 2025, allowing for a sustained brand presence throughout the year and supporting ongoing engagement with our target audience.'
1/4 The Red Sea
Delving into The Red Sea campaign's narrative and success metrics
The campaign highlights an authentic journey: As guests arrive through the architecturally striking Red Sea International Airport, they begin a discovery organically, guided by the region's spirit of Hafawa — Saudi Arabia's legacy of warm, wholehearted hospitality. Set gently within the landscape, five resorts are now open at The Red Sea, each offering a unique interpretation of luxury that complements the destination's natural rhythm.
From secluded island escapes to desert-framed sanctuaries, every property is thoughtfully designed to exist in harmony with its surroundings. Whether it's barefoot elegance by the sea, contemporary refinement in the mountains, or family retreats with views of vibrant coral reefs, these openings represent the first chapter in a growing portfolio — with 11 more resorts soon to follow on Shura Island, the iconic centrepiece of The Red Sea.
The We've Saved a Place for You campaign marks the evolution of The Red Sea from a destination of firsts into a sanctuary for those who value authenticity, exclusivity and design-led immersion.
Speaking about how the success metrics of the campaign have been set and will be evaluated, Saroufim said, 'Success is measured in alignment with our full-funnel campaign objectives and the broader ambition of positioning The Red Sea as a must-visit destination within the well saturated global luxury travel space. Key performance indicators span awareness, engagement and conversion metrics — including reach, video views, site visits and bookings.'
Saroufim concluded, 'Beyond numerical indicators, our aim is to foster lasting interest and elevate brand perception among HNWIs and UHNWIs — creating a foundation for repeat visitation and continued storytelling well beyond the campaign period.'
CREDITS:
Client: The Red Sea
Creative concept and development: Freedom
Production house: Beautiful Destinations
Media agency: Starcom
Communications partner: PRCO