Big Fat Greek PR Triumph for Explore Worldwide
OVERVIEW
In a strategic move to promote their exciting Greek adventure tours, Gate 7’s newest client, Explore Worldwide, joined forces with Australia’s top-ranking morning show, Sunrise. This collaboration capitalised on the buzz surrounding the release of the new film ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’, elevating the Explore Worldwide brand while simultaneously bringing the allure of Greece to the forefront of Australian consumers’ minds.
KEY FIGURES
BACKGROUND AND CHALLENGE
Explore Worldwide made their grand entrance into the Australian market in early 2023 and enlisted Gate 7 for PR representation. With a strong emphasis on authentic adventure travel experiences, Explore Worldwide has grown to become one of the best small group adventure travel companies, offering over 350 tours in around 100 countries.
During their inaugural year of PR representation in Australia, Explore Worldwide wanted to expand their brand awareness and promote their European tours to Australian consumers aged over 50. With a plethora of unique travel experiences available – each with its own unique personality and experiences – finding the perfect way to refine the wide scope of the brand into a singular message would be pivotal to the success of the campaign. Gate 7’s PR team had successfully secured earned media in the print and digital spaces, now they endeavoured to secure mass media coverage to catapult Explore Worldwide to the forefront of their primary market.
Gate 7’s PR team knew that a broadcast integration would be the perfect way to promote Explore Worldwide’s exciting offering to the key target audience. To achieve maximum reach and narrative synergy for Explore Worldwide, a strategic choice was to pursue a broadcast integration on live breakfast television, whose demographics align with the over 50’s market.
STRATEGY AND SOLUTION
The third instalment of the beloved rom-com franchise, ‘My Big Fat Wedding 3’, was scheduled for its grand release in September 2023. This presented a golden opportunity for Gate 7 and Explore Worldwide to collaborate with NBC in promoting the highly anticipated movie and to promote Explore’s Greek adventure tour offerings. Notably, this is the first instalment of the series to be filmed in Greece, a captivating destination in Explore Worldwide’s portfolio. Explore Worldwide’s Greece-bound adventures cater to diverse preferences, offering opportunities for leisurely walks, exhilarating cycling expeditions, delightful family getaways, and immersive discovery tours.
Working closely with Explore, Gate 7 identified the ideal Greek tour for promotion, developed key strategic messaging, terms and conditions, branding, visuals and a tantalising prize.
The promotional slot on Sunrise involved lively discussions about ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’, interweaved with breathtaking footage from Explore Worldwide’s Greece tours. The captivating movie trailer was seamlessly integrated with Explore Worldwide’s b-roll footage, accompanied by a clear call to action for viewers. The audience was invited to share, in 25 words or less, who they would take on the ultimate Greek Islands adventure and why. This competition was hosted on a dedicated landing page on the Sunrise.com.au website.
RESULTS
The results of this strategic collaboration were nothing short of extraordinary. The competition attracted an impressive 14,401 unique entries, demonstrating the engagement and enthusiasm of the Australian audience. The total media value, encompassing on-air, digital, and social platforms, totalled $525,000. The promotional clip also gained substantial traction, being shared on Sunrise’s Instagram account, which boasts a following of 284,000 avid viewers. Sunrise’s daily audience figures, totalling 367,000, attested to the campaign’s reach, with a total reach of 1,835,000 across the 5-day promotional period.
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These results solidified the new partnership between Gate 7 and Explore Worldwide, validating their seamless integration and Gate 7’s astute strategy. The strategic approach effectively highlighted the Explore Worldwide’s unique offering to create awareness to their key target audience in the Australian market.