From Insight to Impact: The Making of Aqua Sana Forest Spa’s Portal Campaign

Designed to elevate the spa’s profile beyond its Center Parcs roots, the project was ambitious in both concept and execution. With the idea of a “portal” at its centre, the campaign set out to capture what makes ASFS unique: the chance to escape the everyday and reconnect with nature.

From the pressures of night shoots and large-scale logistics to the creative challenge of balancing fantasy with authenticity, Katy takes us behind the scenes of a campaign that set out to reposition ASFS as the UK’s ultimate spa experience.

Q: What was the initial brief, and what were the main objectives?

This campaign was born out of a competitive pitch, which meant there was an immediate drive to stand out. The brief was simple in writing but demanding in ambition: build awareness and establish ASFS as the number one spa in the UK.

Although ASFS already had a strong reputation with those who knew it, there was a gap in wider public awareness. Many people believed the spa could only be accessed if they were already staying at Centre Parcs, which wasn’t the case. The brand needed to correct this misconception while showcasing the premium experience it offers.

The ultimate aim was to reach new audiences, drive traffic, encourage bookings, and place ASFS firmly in the minds of people looking for a spa escape. In short, it was about repositioning the spa as a destination in its own right.

Q: How did the concept come together, and what inspired the “portal” element?

For Katy and the team, every big creative campaign begins with insights. They dug into audience motivations, explored competitor activity, and ran bespoke research through online interviews. What came through strongly was the idea of escapism: the need for a sanctuary to break away from busy, modern lives.

From that, the central line “Leave the World Behind” was born. It spoke directly to the emotional benefit ASFS wanted to highlight. The “portal” became the physical embodiment of that idea. Rather than relying on abstract visuals or CGI, the team wanted to create a real-world structure that showed the journey from everyday chaos into the spa’s forested calm. The build allowed them to show a stark contrast: harsh sounds of traffic giving way to birdsong, and harsh light replaced by the soft glow of the spa. It was about turning a metaphor into something tangible, while keeping the forest as the heart of the story.

Q: This was a large-scale shoot with many moving parts. What was the production process like?

Once the client signed off the concept, the project moved into a highly detailed pre-production phase. Every frame was storyboarded to make sure nothing was left to chance.

Casting was a key element: five actors were chosen to represent the diversity of ASFS’ guests, including men, women, different ethnicities, and body types. Location scouting took the team across multiple sites, including Sherwood Forest, where the spa’s natural setting played a starring role. Props were sourced, drone pilots commissioned, health and safety checks completed, and most importantly, the portal itself was commissioned and physically built.

The shoot took place over four separate days, each with its own challenges. Shooting at the spa meant working around opening hours, so filming often happened during unsociable times. At Sherwood Forest, the crew began at 1am and continued through to midday with no room for error. Managing fatigue and morale became just as important as managing lighting and camera angles. Despite the pressure, the planning paid off. By anticipating potential issues and structuring the schedule with military precision, the team kept on track, though it required constant focus to make sure nothing slipped.

Q: How was the vision translated into the final creative execution?

The campaign was never designed to be one piece of content. From day one, it was envisioned as an omni-channel rollout. The hero asset was a 30-second video-on-demand film, crafted to showcase the transition from the real world into ASFS. From that, the team developed shorter edits for social channels, digital advertising, and cutdowns for out-of-home placements. Even radio spots were considered, with scripts designed to evoke sensory elements like the sound of water, rustling leaves, and calming tones.

Everything was built to circle back to the idea of “Leave the World Behind”. Whether you saw it on Instagram, a billboard, or while streaming TV, the same story came across: ASFS is a place to escape, recharge, and feel revitalised.

Q: Was there a particular highlight or turning point during the shoot?

The first came on the very first shoot day, when the portal was assembled on set for the first time. After months of sketches, design tweaks, and technical planning, the team finally saw it standing tall. “It looked incredible,” Katy recalls. “Seeing it in real life was a huge moment for us.”

The second highlight came during the night shoot at Sherwood Forest. It was an incredibly demanding schedule, with so many moving parts and absolutely no flexibility to run over. Yet, everything fell into place: the actors delivered, the lighting worked, and the weather held back the rain that had been forecast. Reaching the end of that shoot brought an immense sense of relief and pride, knowing the team had captured everything they needed.

Q: How did the campaign reflect ASFS’ brand values and customer experience?

The guiding principle was always to highlight ASFS’ unique position as a forest spa. Their tagline: “Feel revitalised in the forest” directly shaped the creative approach.

Nature and sensory experiences were at the heart of the campaign. The edits highlighted water therapies, steam rooms, and outdoor pools, always framed by the surrounding woodland. But just as important was capturing the premium feel of the experience: this wasn’t about generic relaxation, but about an elevated, indulgent escape.

The team also focused on inclusivity. Two final edits were produced: one centred on a couple reconnecting, and another showing a group of friends catching up. It was important to show that ASFS was for everyone, regardless of gender, background, or body type. While women may often lead the booking process, the spa itself welcomes a 50/50 split of men and women, something the campaign was careful to represent.

Q: Were there any creative challenges along the way?

The portal was both the campaign’s biggest strength and biggest challenge. It had to strike a very precise balance: sturdy enough to be built and shot practically, natural enough to reflect the spa’s forest setting, yet not so fantastical that it drifted into science fiction.

Finding that balance took iteration after iteration, but the final design worked perfectly. It felt organic, nature-inspired, and believable, while still delivering the dramatic visual impact the team wanted.

Q: How did the client respond to the completed campaign once it was revealed?

The client’s response was overwhelmingly positive. They were hugely complimentary about the final creative and how it captured ASFS’ essence. Because it had been such a collaborative process throughout with constant check-ins, reviews, and input, the campaign really felt like a shared vision coming to life. By the time we unveiled the final work, we’d built a strong relationship with their team, so their enthusiasm and trust in the result felt like a natural extension of that partnership.

Q: Looking back, what are you most proud of?

For Katy, pride lies not just in the polished final product, but in the process of getting there. The production demanded long hours, careful coordination, and an unwavering commitment from everyone involved.

“The campaign outcome is something we’re all proud of,” she explains, “but for me, the bigger point of pride was watching the team pull together. Everyone went above and beyond, and that collective determination is what made it possible.”

Wrapping It Up

The ASFS campaign was more than a marketing exercise. It was a statement of intent: a chance to reposition the spa as the UK’s ultimate destination for forest-based relaxation. By anchoring the story in “Leave the World Behind” and bringing it to life through the striking imagery of a real-world portal, the campaign captured both the premium quality and the sensory power of ASFS.

Behind the finished product was a story of creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork under pressure. The result? A campaign that not only built brand awareness but also reflected exactly what ASFS stands for, a place to disconnect, to reconnect, and to feel truly revitalised.

Great campaigns don’t happen by chance, they happen together. If you’re ready to create something unforgettable for your brand, reach out to us now!