Play Melbourne
Research
Market research shows Melbourne is seen as Australia’s most vibrant, creative and ‘edgy’ city, cementing its competitive advantage as a significant cultural tourism destination. Research also indicated many interstate consumers love Melbourne but they feel that they know it too well.
The challenge is to give people new reasons to visit Melbourne by showing them that there is a discovery around every corner, whichever direction they head.
Play Melbourne underwent extensive advertising testing by an independent research organisation, LUMA Research, and performed very well across a wide variety of respondents. Test results placed the Play Melbourne ad in the top 25 per cent of all Australian ads ever tested by the research company, LUMA Research, in its 18-year history.
Target market
Key target markets for the campaign are Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. The campaign will launch in New Zealand in the 2011-12 financial year.
The campaign predominantly targets Creative Opinion Leaders who have extensive social networks and are strong generators of positive word of mouth. It aims to entice them to Play Melbourne, and to tell their friends.
Television and cinemaThe television commercial follows a fun-loving trio as they take chances exploring the city. Along the way, they meet intriguing, uniquely Melbournian characters who invite them to play games of chance which dictates the trio’s path through the city.
The theme song is Perfect Plan, written and performed by US singer/songwriter Sarah Jaffe.
Ten versions of the television and cinema commercial have been produced – from five to 60 seconds with an extended 75-second version to run in cinemas.
View the television commercial
Activation / 52 week competition
Play Melbourne is led by a year-long brand activation in which Tourism Victoria is giving away a weekend for two every week, for 52 weeks.
Consumers are invited to follow their curiosity and enter weekly draws at playmelbourne.com.au and earn bonus entries by sharing Play Melbourne with their friends on Facebook, Twitter and on email. As the campaign is aimed at interstate travellers, Victorian residents are not eligible to enter the competition.
Blue Holidays, the holiday program of Virgin Australia, is Tourism Victoria’s key partner in this initiative.
Online
The cornerstone of the campaign is the dedicated microsite, playmelbourne.com.au, which serves to further inform and educate participants by delivering new news about Melbourne. Frequently updated, rich content will draw visitors deeper into the site with the latest of what’s on and where to go in Melbourne.
Playmelbourne.com.au will be integrated with Tourism Victoria’s site, visitvictoria.com.
Magazine and print advertisingDuring the launch phase, print executions will focus on inspiring people to enter the competition for their chance to win a weekend in Melbourne. Insertions will appear in major newspapers and weekend magazines nationally.
Digital advertising
Throughout the first year of the campaign, a diverse range of online media will drive traffic to playmelbourne.com.au. Homepage takeovers, interactive banners and eDM buyouts will inspire consumers to Play Melbourne and invite them to experience it by entering the competition. Online activity will also drive conversion, with additional executions promoting cooperative trade deals.
RadioA partnership with Austereo will deliver a year long radio campaign to drive awareness and invite consumers to enter the competition.
iPhone app
The Play Melbourne iPhone application, the very first of its kind for Tourism Victoria, will be available for download from the iTunes store. Easy to read maps utilising innovative augmented reality and GPS technology will reveal bars, cafes, restaurants, events and attractions to inspire exploration.
ConversionA strategic partnership between Tourism Victoria and Virgin Australia Group will see the cohesive integration of retail offers promoted through a range of channels, including television, outdoor, online, print, public relations and social media.
Public RelationsPublic relations will centre on the promotion of the activation, and deliver an ongoing stream of new news about Melbourne through media familiarisations with leading magazines, newspapers, television and online media sources.
Social mediaSocial media activity will underpin all elements of the campaign. It will include dedicated Tourism Victoria Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and eDM activity, and leverage the social media platforms of trade and media partners.
Useful links
• Play Melbourne microsite
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