Townsville North Queensland: Up for Unexpected introduced to southern tourists
Townsville still shines, but a new tourism campaign highlights our city as Queensland’s ‘best kept secret’. Watch the TV ad.
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Townsville’s new tourism brand has been launched in Sydney, replacing the long-lived Townsville Shines.
Townsville North Queensland: Up for Unexpected plays on NQ as Queensland’s ‘best kept secret’, with sunny scenery southerners can enjoy by swapping harsh winters for a tropical paradise.
The brand was officially debuted at Travmedia’s International Media Marketplace on Friday by Lisa Woolfe of Townsville Enterprise, along with The Voice star Trent Bell, who wrote the song for the debut television ad.
The campaign has already secured advertising across print, television, billboards, digital, social media and bus wraps targeting key audiences from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
Townsville Enterprise CEO, Claudia Brumme-Smith said the media professionals in attendance at the launch would help sell the best secret in North Queensland.
“Analysing over 300,000 data points, the brand has been derived from extensive research including online reviews, focus groups, surveys, creative testing and has been guided by an industry-led committee of marketing experts,” Mrs Brumme-Smith said.
“Our research found Townsville North Queensland is full of unexpected experiences – a destination with an unrivalled power to surprise and delight with a unique ability to offer something new to the experiential traveller. This is exactly what our new brand will demonstrate to consumers.
“We are an emerging destination with new products being continually transformed, developed, and launched. This brand will grow with us and has already been embraced by our regional tourism industry throughout our extensive brand briefings.”
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the new brand would capture the entire region.
“It’s not just about Townsville. It’s about Charters Towers, it’s about Hinchinbrook, it’s about the Burdekin. We’ve all got something to offer,” Mayor Hill said.
“How many places in Australia can you get off a plane and go to a tropical island, head west to see the Texas Longhorns in Charters Towers or drive south to the Burdekin to see how sugar is made.
The campaign is backed by the Queensland Government, according to Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe.
“Funding for Townsville’s Up for the Unexpected is part of the Palaszczuk Government’s election commitment to Queensland Regional Tourism Organisations (RTO),” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“We know Townsville Enterprise understands Townsville’s visitor attractions and the priorities of local tourism operators better than anybody else.
Local media and creative agency Vetta Creative designed the logo, brand mark and television commercial for the new Townsville North Queensland brand.
“Visitors are looking for experiences and different places to go. We have some great attractions and tours for visitors to see and do, but the rest of Australia doesn’t know that,” Cr Hill said.
Originally published as Townsville North Queensland: Up for Unexpected introduced to southern tourists
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