Published 1 April 2026
ABERDEEN GIVEN 'GLOW-UP' IN A BID TO ATTRACT GEN Z TOURISTS
The city of Aberdeen has been given a digital-age makeover in a new tourism campaign aimed at attracting Gen Z travellers, with the city temporarily rebranded as “Aberizz.”
Aberdeen Launches ABERIZZ rebrand
The campaign has been created by brand and digital marketing specialists GenX Oldies With Kooky Solutions (GOWKS) in partnership with the North East Scotland Tourism Society (NESTS), who say the rebrand is designed to make the Granite City “relatable, meme-ready, and algorithm-friendly.”
Tourism remains a major part of Scotland’s economy. VisitScotland reports that the country welcomed 4.37 million international visitors in 2024, generating more than £4 billion annually. Aberdeen attracts around 1.1 million visitors each year, with highlights including the Town House, Castlegate and Marischal College, all of which campaign organisers describe as having “strong main-character energy.”
Avril Feel from NESTS said the new campaign focuses on a demographic the city has struggled to connect with. “Research shows that Gen Z is a largely untapped market for Aberdeen. We realised that traditional messaging like ‘historic architecture’ and ‘coastal heritage’ was not cutting through, so we pivoted to vibes. With support from GOWKS, we’ve developed an omni-channel strategy built around the slogan ‘Aberrizz is the biz’, which we believe speaks directly to the youth.”
Cill Lee from GOWKS, described as the creative mastermind behind the campaign, explained how the branding was developed. “Using the latest techniques in generative AI, trend forecasting, and whatever the interns said was funny, we created a visual identity that feels authentic to Gen Z audiences. We combined the three towers from Aberdeen’s coat of arms with two rivers representing the Dee and the Don, and some wildlife to produce a logo that is both culturally respectful and extremely online.”
Lee confirmed that several alternative slogans were considered before the final decision. “We tested a range of options, including ‘Aberdeezer, it’s a beezer’, ‘Abersigma, it’s an enigma’, and ‘Granite but make it slay.’ Ultimately, we wanted to capture the sense that Aberdeen is the kind of place where you can show up, have a fly cup, stare at the North Sea, and feel windswept and interesting.”
The rebrand is set to launch on 1 April 2026.
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