VICTORIA – The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) has recently announced Tourism Victoria as the winner of two Gold Adrian Awards, one for the work the organization completed on behalf of the Victoria Conference Optimization Network (VCON) and one for a separate marketing campaign. Out of more than 1,300 international entries submitted, the Victoria, the Idea Capital video sales brochures and the Victoria, Beyond Words partnership with Baggins Shoes were judged to be exceptional by experts in hospitality, tourism, travel and media.
“Both of these awards are the result of successful partnerships, the first with the VCON and the second with local business member Baggins Shoes,” says Trina Mousseau, Chief Marketing Officer. “It shows that working together always achieves the best results.”
Through the VCON partnership between Tourism Victoria, the Victoria Conference Centre and conference hotels, Tourism Victoria worked with all partners to create a shared take-to-market approach that included a refreshed meetings brand and an innovative sales tool for all sales teams. The Video Book Sales Brochure was an innovative, rechargeable printed hardcover book with a four and a half inch, laser thin video screen embedded in it. The book included the new brand and five reasons to meet in Victoria.
“This award is particularly gratifying because it was the first marketing initiative undertaken under our VCON partnership,” says Paul Nursey, President & CEO. “By working together with the Victoria Conference Centre and conference hotels in Victoria, we put out a highly impactful meetings campaign promoting Victoria as The Idea Capital. Using innovative technology like video books and engaging a very cool local small business such as Baggins Shoes, we partnered in what was truly is a team effort. It is great to see such inclusive and collaborative campaigns get recognized internationally.”
For this year’s spring campaign, Tourism Victoria wanted to get journalists buzzing about the destination through a unique partnership with local business Baggins Shoes. Together the organizations created a series of Victoria Converse shoes each showcasing a different Victoria experience that tied into the Victoria Beyond Words campaign.
The Media Relations department invited journalists to a media event where they could get their own pair of Victoria custom Converse, each printed with a photo of their choosing. This initiative generated media buzz across social channels and helped successfully push 19 per cent of consumers down the path to purchase to detailed itinerary planning, finalizing trip and purchase when the norm is 10 per cent. The shoes also became a top seller for Baggins Shoes.
