How we market the region
We aim for travellers to develop a connection with our region, just as the locals who proudly call it home.
How? We implement year-round marketing initiatives that resonate with our priority audiences and showcase the region’s distinctive attributes in an authentic and tangible way.
We prioritise digital platforms that allow us to continuously analyse and optimise our investments, supported by out-of-home (OOH) placements, print advertising in carefully selected publications and collaborations with Visit Victoria and other content publishers to amplify our reach.
Through strategic PR efforts, we share captivating stories highlighting the diverse range of experiences throughout the region, generating widespread awareness.
We round out our approach by investing in our residents as our biggest ambassadors, ensuring our communications efforts extend to their preferred channels.
Who we talk to
PRIMARY AUDIENCE
Mature Tastes
More often mature (40+) and with no kids, this audience seeks out good food and wine and enjoys taking it easy for a few nights in pleasant surroundings. Their visits are centred around townships, not nature, and they often make planned dining arrangements and seek out produce.
Regional Fledglings
This metro-based audience makes more frequent day and short overnight trips than other segments. They are more likely to consider Ballarat in-scope for a day trip – especially those with a taste for dining and culture. Following emerging trends, this audience will explore visitor-orientated producers, modern dining and festivals.
Visiting Friends and Visiting Relatives
Currently, visits inspired by residents represent 44.5% of all visitors to the region. With more and more people calling Ballarat home each year, we recognise that residents will play a key role as ambassadors to promote the Ballarat experience to their friends and family.
SECONDARY AUDIENCE
Active Regional Explorers
These metro-based families with preschool and young primary-aged children seek enriching experiences and are more likely to engage with art, culture and history.
Educated, curious and enthusiastic, this audience spends the most per night and spends more nights away from home than any other segment.
Family Heartland
For this audience, booking something during the school holidays is a chance for everyone to catch their breath. A mix of metro and regional audiences, they enjoy day trips to attractions and seek out traditional family fun. They look for regional centres with more to do and will typically stay in holiday parks.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)
One of Australia’s fasted growing inbound markets, the Indian market typically travels in large groups and actively seeks opportunities to learn about Australia’s history. Meanwhile, the Chinese market values referrals and advice about where to take a holiday, so influencers give us the opportunity to talk to these audiences about discovering their own backyard.
Our campaigns
Brilliantly Unexpected
We’re making a play to redefine how visitors perceive the region with our latest branding platform, Brilliantly Unexpected.
The new brand positioning, identity and campaign were shaped by a piece of strategic work that established a clear and compelling articulation of Ballarat’s identity, values, and why people should choose our region over other destinations.
Developed in consultation with skills-based representation from the region’s tourism industry, the strategy revealed the untapped potential that Ballarat is a place of glorious contrast and contradiction – a brilliantly unexpected blend of culture, history and creativity.
The multi-channel campaign, which is in market every day of the year, has been designed for long-term activation to inspire, motivate, and challenge people to see the region with fresh eyes.
There are a number of ways to get involved and leverage this campaign. Find out more by downloading these resources:
Ballarat In The Know
The visiting friends and relatives market is a crucial part of Ballarat’s visitor economy. They make up nearly half of all visitors, which means residents play a significant role in shaping their experience here. As the city grows, we understand that residents have the power to be great ambassadors and promote Ballarat to their loved ones.
To tap into this potential, our Marketing Team has conducted extensive research. We’ve discovered that empowering locals to be “in the know” can have a big impact. That’s why we’ve launched the Ballarat In The Know campaign. The goal is to encourage residents to invite their friends and family to town, explore the city, and support local businesses by dining out and experiencing all that Ballarat has to offer. Every time residents invite someone to stay and enjoy Ballarat, they become our city’s biggest ambassadors.
Want to promote your business or event?
- Make sure you’re on ATDW
- Share great content – if you get stuck, check out the Tourism Midwest Victoria content library on Filecamp
- Tag @visitballarat and @ballaratintheknow for collaboration opportunities and even more exposure
Get in touch with the Marketing Team
We’re always looking for new people, products, and experiences to promote, so the more we can see and hear about what’s happening in the region, the more we’ll be able to diversify our marketing and better tell these amazing stories.
Have something you think might be the perfect fit? Reach out to our Marketing Team at marketing@tourismmidwestvic.com.au