About us
Horses of Iceland is a strategic marketing plan developed by stakeholders in the Icelandic horse community to increase the awareness and strengthen the image of the Icelandic horse in international markets. The objective is to make more people aware of the good qualities of the Icelandic horse, all over the world. The focus is not only on the horse itself, but also on services, and horse related products, with the aim to enlarge the Icelandic horse community and make this industry more profitable.
BUILDING THE BRAND
The project started in 2015 with workshops in Iceland and interviews with people of the Icelandic horse community in different countries, to review and gather insights for the strategic process, and to build the brand of the Icelandic horse. People of the Icelandic horse community took active part, both in the workshops and by providing valuable input. Data, statistics, reports and research on the subject were reviewed. All of this information was used by marketing consultants to develop the brand strategy, vision, positioning statement, pillars and character.
The brand Horses of Iceland should be understood in broad context and as a common denominator for all the diverse activities related to the Icelandic horse and the community of riders the world over.
Since then, target groups and areas have been established, and emphases for activities and communication have been defined. The web, digital and social media are vital to the plan. Its greatest tools are the website horsesoficeland.is, and the hashtag #horsesoficeland on social media.
The international Day of the Icelandic Horse was created in 2016 and is held yearly on May 1st. On this day, members of the Icelandic horse community all over the world are encouraged to take someone along for a ride on their fantastic Icelandic horses and share their experiences on social media. Clubs, municipalities and countries are encouraged to make great use of this day to portray the wonderful qualities of the Icelandic horse, spending quality time with friends and families: horses bringing you closer to nature!
Horses of Iceland is co-funded by the industry and Icelandic Government. It is now up to all of us to make the most of this great opportunity and give the Icelandic horse the international attention it deserves. We invite people to join forces and invest in this immense opportunity.
The project is open for participation. Our project manager, Berglind Margo Þorvaldsdóttir