“A TOURISM CAMPAIGN PERFECT FOR A PANDEMIC”
- Channel 9 News
The context
In 2020 as travel plummeted, online gaming increased by over 70%.
The opportunity
Tourism New Zealand decided to market the entire country like a game, inviting the world to PlayNZ.
A world-first interactive tourism experience, Play NZ showcased the country in a completely new way, keeping New Zealand top of mind for future travellers. See the case study of the campaign below.
The rollout
We launched with a live stream on Twitch, featuring the first ever ‘gamer walkthrough’ of a country. You can watch this below.
Launched live on Twitch
During the live stream, Australian gaming heavyweight, Loserfruit, led thousands of followers on an hour-long journey that showcased the best bits of New Zealand. She “played” the country and interacted live with followers.
Showing up in gaming media
As well as using a prominent gaming influencer, we created teasers and trailer films, digital banners and in-app ads mimicking a real gaming launch. A few of our trailers can be viewed below.
A rich experience
We gave people the opportunity to dive deeper at every touchpoint, driving future travellers to the PLAY NZ immersive hub where they were met with 18x VR180° and 360° quest films, downloadables and characters from the film. To watch a few of the 360 films, click to play and then drag using your mouse to explore.
Showcasing a country
The vehicle of gaming allowed us to showcase the country like never before - sharing adventure experiences, our people, landscape, culture, food and wine, and even maps.
An ode to gamers
Throughout the film, we hid easter eggs for gamers to discover. Featuring references to some of their favourite video game characters and even gameplay moments.
A hit with gamers and travellers
Gamers couldn’t get enough, with many asking when PLAY NZ would launch for real.
Results
But most importantly, Intent to visit New Zealand post lockdown has increased +387%* and we maintained our #1 position as the preferred destination for Aussie travellers**.
*Facebook brand lift study vs. Asia Pacific uplift benchmark **Tourism New Zealand AC monitor