Tourism New Zealand seeks to attract “high-quality visitors” in new campaign

Tourism New Zealand seeks to attract “high-quality visitors” in new campaign
By James Harrison


Tourism New Zealand unveiled its first global campaign in two years – If YOU SEEK – the country’s invitation to international visitors who seek more through extraordinary travel.

Launched in core visitor markets such as Australia and the United States, IF YOU SEEK invites audiences to explore Aotearoa New Zealand via unexpected and alluring glimpses of the destination’s people and place.

“There is intense competition as destinations compete to capture the imaginations of travellers. Because of our size and location, New Zealand will have to work hard to encourage visitation post-COVID with international visitor numbers taking years to build up and Kiwis now having the option of travelling overseas,” Tourism New Zealand CEO René de Monchy said.

A suite of 18 short films showcases New Zealand’s distinct local culture, generosity and famed natural beauty – suggesting Aotearoa New Zealand is reserved for the inquisitive traveller, in quest of authenticity and discovery.

“Tourism New Zealand uses a range of insights to design compelling campaign work to reach high-quality visitors,” de Monchy said.

“These are visitors who we think will explore more deeply, and ultimately contribute to New Zealand’s tourism sector in ways beyond the economic benefit. They are travellers who want to engage with our culture, and society and also interact with our environment in a respectful way.”

In accompaniment to the 18 videos, a 60” manifesto film further summons seekers to explore Aotearoa New Zealand with numerous cutdowns and iterations to make IF YOU SEEK accessible across paid, owned, earned and trade channels.

An immersive digital experience extends the campaign through Tourism New Zealand’s owned environment IF YOU SEEK mini experiences, providing viewers with more to seek and entice them to book.

Gary Steele the chief creative officer of DDB Aotearoa, who is the lead agency on the campaign, said the campaign is an “invitation to the curious” intended to reward audiences who go a little further and explore a little deeper.

“When the first explorers discovered these islands, they were met with a long white cloud on the horizon,” Steele said.

“Aotearoa was then – and still is to this day – a place for those willing to seek. This campaign celebrates that idea and rewards those who go that step further. Every element of the campaign invites them to see, hear or feel a little bit more, building Aotearoa’s story through connected digital and interactive OOH experiences that complement the films.”

A localised execution will encourage New Zealanders to explore further, signalling there’s more to find in their backyard if they seek to uncover it.

Tourism New Zealand research shows that around two-thirds of New Zealanders intend to take a domestic holiday in the coming year, and 42 per cent are motivated to visit a place they haven’t before on their upcoming travels.

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