Willowbank's media wins – celebrating a double milestone
October 2024 was a big month for one of our city’s favourite attractions, Willowbank, which announced two major milestones: turning 50 and purchasing the International Antarctic Centre.
Both were big news items that deserved great coverage. However, with the media often hesitant to feature the same organisation in two separate stories so close together, Great Scott faced the challenge of amplifying the announcements in way that would do both justice.
Mark and Kirsty at the International Antarctic Centre
We created a strategy to use media and key stakeholders to help amplify their 50-year celebrations and set out a timeline to follow it up with the announcement of their purchase of the International Antarctic Centre.
Our goal was to have Willowbank’s anniversary covered locally in The Press and The Star and nationally on Seven Sharp – and we exceeded those expectations. Leveraging our strong media relationships, we crafted and pitched engaging, tailored stories highlighting Willowbank's conservation efforts, rich history, and significance to the community.
The story was picked up by The Press, The Star, RNZ, ODT, Newstalk ZB, More FM, TVNZ Seven Sharp and The Greymouth Star.
Through the media coverage, we amplified engagement with Cantabrians, encouraging them to share their stories and memories through Willowbank’s channels to go in the draw for free passes. More than 500 people shared their memories.
Willowbank through the decades
With Willowbank’s 50th fresh in people’s minds, we kept the momentum going by sharing the International Antarctic Centre announcement the following week, achieving further coverage in The Press, Stuff, ODT, The Star, RNZ, Newstalk ZB, NZ Herald, and The Greymouth Star.
Given the love Cantabrians feel for Willowbank, we purposefully focussed messaging on Willowbank’s plan to make Cantabrians fall in love with the International Antarctic Centre again.
Together, the announcements had 21 mentions across all major local and national media. In radio, print and TV including The Press, The Star, RNZ, ODT, Newstalk ZB, More FM, TVNZ Seven Sharp and The Greymouth Star with a total audience reach of nearly 2 million people.
Why was it important to share these stories? The milestones are more than just news - they represent a significant moment for Willowbank and the broader Canterbury community. By successfully navigating the media landscape and securing extensive coverage, we not only celebrated Willowbank's rich history and its future with the International Antarctic Centre, but we sent a strong signal that the future of Canterbury’s tourism industry is bright.
From Gravel Pit to Animal Sanctuary - Celebrating 50 years of Willowbank