Making a splash – How new slides captured national attention

In the realm of family attractions, securing a spotlight in the national media is a feat many aspire to but few achieve.  

The launch of the new hydro slides at Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa was a strategic media relations campaign designed to ensure this story did not land as just another renovation at the beloved complex.  

Through meticulous planning, creative engagement, and a deep understanding of our audience, we turned what could have been a routine launch into nationwide excitement.  

Background 

With a legacy of 17 million users finding a thrill on the pre-existing green and beige slides, the anticipation for some new additions was naturally high.  

The Waiau Winder and the Violet Vortex slides represented a strategic $3.2 million investment aimed at revitalising a region impacted by declining tourism during the COVID pandemic. The new slides needed to capture the attention of both the media and families to ensure their success.

Great Scott’s objective was to leverage this anticipation, transforming it into a buzz that would ensure national media coverage, alongside sustained interest from local media during the build-up and on the launch day. 

Strategy 

Our approach was to build anticipation through a campaign that engaged young people and families, and the media.  

We launched a Build the Ultimate Ball Run competition for classrooms across most South Island schools, providing teachers with guidance on how the competition could align with the curriculum and offering the winning class a fully-funded trip to the complex.  

Media covered the competition and Education Gazette ran a feature on how the competition gave teachers an opportunity to bring science concepts to life and to give young students full agency in their learning.  Take a look at the video we made for teachers to show their classes:

A national naming competition for the slides, which has become somewhat of a custom with new HSTPS attractions, tapped into the collective imagination of social media followers too. HSTPS received thousands of votes for the final names for the slides.

Finally, the media education piece – at every opportunity, we educated journalists on the advanced features that set these slides apart from their predecessors and why the community-ownership of HSTPS matters.

Through press releases, exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories, we highlighted the sustainability efforts, the progress of the build, and exactly how HSTPS profits are returned to the community – supporting local parks and reserves. This underscored the value of the slides beyond mere entertainment, framing them as a boon to local development and tourism.  

The impact  

The culmination of these strategic efforts was an overwhelming success. On launch day, national media covered the story. The official opening and the first rides were broadcast on The AM Show, complemented by extensive local media coverage that had been building up to the event.    

This campaign stands as a testament to the power of strategic communication in turning a local event into a national spectacle. By engaging the community, leveraging the anticipation of innovation, and highlighting the positive impact on the local community, we managed to create a story that resonated across the country.