From Lava to Likes: How Iceland Rebranded Itself

Published on Feb. 5, 2025, at 4:43 p.m.
by Reese Ham.

The perception of Iceland for far too long was the wannabe little sibling country to its cooler older siblings over in Europe. In 2010, an eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, a volcano located in the south of Iceland, caused major flight cancellations and disruptions across the globe. Iceland continued to get jetted over, not becoming any more desirable to tourists.

The volcanic eruption abruptly made Iceland a household name for all the wrong reasons — barren, uninteresting, inaccessible and dangerous — tainting the identity of the country. As its tourism industry and reputation took a major hit, Iceland needed a massive rebranding.

In order to overcome the stigma of its current identity, Sveinn Birkir Björnsson, director of global marketing communications at Business Iceland, told Governance Matters magazine that Iceland needed to bring in “more value in terms of PR by earning coverage rather than … having to buy advertising slots in the media.”

Thus launched a public relations branding campaign sparking the creation of a communication platform that solidified the country of Iceland as its own brand: Inspired by Iceland.

Through the use of content marketing, this public-private communication platform aims to make Iceland an accessible and desirable tourist destination through illustrating its culture, sights, foods and people.

Inspired by Iceland’s content tries to capture the heart of what makes Iceland so astonishing: the eccentricity and humor of the Icelandic people. “Our humour is put forth in a positive manner. It is often self-deprecating and poking fun at ourselves a little bit,” said Björnsson to Governance Matters magazine.

With 174,000 Instagram followers alone, along with Facebook, YouTube and TikTok pages, Inspired by Iceland’s content is able to target and present its branding to an audience that reaches across the globe.

The humor and personality of the Icelandic people are illustrated through videos showcasing the lifeblood of Iceland. For example, OutHorse Your Email to Iceland’s Horses pairs Iceland’s topography, horses and humor to entice visitors with their one-of-a-kind charm.

These videos gained massive attention from all around the world, slowly changing the world’s perceptions and judgments of the country. The enormous success of these videos are in large part because of the dedication to building and fostering a relatable, authentic and deliberate brand image.

To encourage more travel and general curiosity about the country, Inspired by Iceland strives to make meaningful relationships with the countries surrounding it. With a focus on targeting North Americans, this “cooperative marketing organization” presents premier Icelandic brands to this continent to promote the best aspects of Iceland.

Along with its partnerships, its website is a testament to Iceland’s brand: the divine pairing of the ethereal with the simplicity of life that is to be explored and experienced in Iceland. It is a host to a treasure trove of current information regarding culture, business, travel and events, further expanding its rebranding mission.

Brand reputation and image are everything. Iceland’s development — and tremendous success — of its own brand identity should act as a blueprint and inspiration for countries looking to contrive their own brands.