Tourism WA intends to position WA as ‘the real star of Australia’. Marketing activities to leverage ‘Australia’ the movie are planned in each major market as follows:
Intrastate Activities
Tourism WA will implement an intrastate campaign specifically around the release of the film and designed to support planned activities for Australia’s North West (ANW). This three week campaign will leverage exposure for the East Kimberley region in connection with ‘Australia’ the movie.
Kununurra has joined Sydney, Bowen and Darwin as one of the first communities to jointly host the world premiere of the movie on November 18. A movie preview in Kununurra will be a welcome opportunity for the local community, particularly the traditional owners, Miriuwung Gajerrong, to see their own region take centre stage. The special 'red dirt' screening will also help highlight that the Kimberley is the ‘real star’ of the movie.
There will also be another special event pre-release screening of the movie for the local Elders and Traditional Owners of the East Kimberley region. The screening on November 19 acknowledges the local groups and the consultation and cultural advice offered. Involved with the production were the Miriuwung Gajerrong People and the Mirima Language Centre, plus the Balanggarra People, Upper Djimbarla People, and Kija People, who will all be present on this special night.
Interstate Activities
To maximise the leveraging opportunity Australia presents, Tourism WA is undertaking extensive marketing activities in Sydney and Melbourne. A highly integrated campaign will present Western Australia as ‘the real star of Australia’.
This integrated campaign includes specific marketing activities such as;
- Large space press media
- Print – including Tourism Australia’s Weekend Australia Magazine
- QANTAS in-flight entertainment
- 16-page brochure insert
- Mobile Marketing
- Online Display advertising e.g. Sensis, ninemsn, Fairfax, TA hub
- Search Engine Marketing e.g. Yahoo Gateway Video ads
- ‘Australia’ Microsite
- Online Consumer Promotion
- Trade and media portal on Tourism WA’s corporate site
- Consumer & Trade Screening, State Theatre, Sydney (26th November)
- Private screening for Melbourne Trade and Industry (3rd December)
- Trade education campaign
- Outdoor consumer marketing activity, Melbourne & Sydney
- Melbourne: 19th of November, Federation Square
- Sydney: 21st of November, Wynyard Park
International Activities
Australia will be released in most of Tourism WA’s active international markets with the possible exception of China due to their censorship laws. Australia leveraging campaigns are planned across all major international markets, in particular Germany, UK, New Zealand and the US. Tourism WA has not been active in the US market for several years, however, the release of this movie provides us with a catalyst for re-entry into the market.
Some international activities are still in planning phases as Tourism WA is awaiting the release of Tourism Australia’s international prospectus and the announcement of Fox opportunities. To date, planned campaign activities include:
UK
- National Cinema brand advertising from 26th December 2008 – 6th February 2009 (to coincide with the launch of the film)
- In-foyer cinema activity in partnership with Tourism Australia and Emirates
- Western Australia /Northern Territory Tourism partnership - promotion of the Australia Way itinerary (Broome to Darwin)
- Aussie Specialist Program promotions
- PR / Visiting Journalist Program activities
- 'Australia' specific microsite
- Search activities
US
- PR, digital and trade focused
- G’day USA and Corroborree Events
- PR agency appointment
- Search and US website
- Trade communications
- Aussie Specialist Program promotions
- Australia specific microsite
- Search activities
Central Europe
- Cinema and in-foyer brand and tactical advertising in Germany and Switzerland commencing at the end of December
- Support Tourism Australia’s Visiting Journalist Program
- Travel agency promotions and collateral
- Direct Marketing
- Aussie Specialist Program promotions
New Zealand
VIP movie premieres - the Auckland screening will be in partnership with Variety Club (and Fox) as part of the NZ premier of the film
Participation in Tourism Australia’s supplement series – February 2009
Aussie Specialist Program promotions
Consumer and Travel Expos
Road show - Australia's North West will be attending and showcasing a small trailer of the movie and perhaps other motivational material
"Did You Know" - trade press teasers scheduled to commence in November with two publications
AAT Kings Joint Venture planned for Jan/Feb with a retail partner – billboards in the Waikato region a retail call to action for AAT Kings tours to the Kimberley
Destination PR Activities
Tourism WA’s PR challenge in both domestic and international markets is to firstly communicate to the movie going public that the epic landscape featured in Australia is the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and secondly that it is a desirable and accessible holiday destination.
Key PR Strategies
Destination PR has developed four key strategies to leverage public relations opportunities nationally and internationally.
- Work with key broadcast, press, print and online travel media in Sydney and Melbourne to develop destination content related to Australia the movie
- Work with 20th Century Fox WA PR Rep and National PR representative on key destination related media opportunities
- Support Tourism Australia’s national and international Destination PR activities around Australia the movie
- Directly support TWA’s offline/online creative approach to market WA behind Australia the movie (specific activities dependent on creative approach)
Other key activities include:
- Collateral development
- Vodcast and podcast project – capturing characters of the Kimberley content for use on www.westernaustralia.com Australia the movie microsite
- Media relations – pitching stories on the Kimberley to key local and national travel and lifestyle and answering media inquiries
- Media visits – organising press visits for key local and national travel and lifestyle media to the Kimberley region to report on the destination
- Media teaser campaign – to educate general media (in particular radio) regarding the Kimberley’s involvement in the movie Australia
- Kununurra premiere – liaising with Fox in regard to proposed premiere
- Perth preview – liaising with Fox in regard to proposed Perth preview
- Publicity support for the outdoor events in Sydney and Melbourne