The Marketing Challenge
Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) is currently experiencing a decline in young British Travellers (18-25
years old) and Working Holiday Makers (18-30 years old) visiting the destination.
Their initial research has shown that there is a perception that the NT is remote, expensive, empty,
hard to reach and too hot; this is far from true.
In fact, the region is packed with interesting possibilities for adventure, with amazing wildlife, the world’s
oldest living culture, a vibrant and tropical capital city (Darwin), UNESCO World Heritage listed National
Parks, an Australian icon in Uluru/Ayers Rock, and there are great working opportunities and friendly
and open people.
As a client, StudentUniverse needs to reposition the NT for the 18-30 year old segment as a fun, cool,
Instagrammable, braggable, adventure-filled, exciting and immersive destination, one that is ideal for
both travel and for work and one that is different from the rest of Australia.
Drawing on the destination’s existing attributes and assets, the client feels they need a marketing
communication strategy and a marketing communications campaign that develops awareness of the
destination with this audience, and which can generates bookings to the NT via StudentUniverse.co.uk.
The StudentUniverse database already holds both member and subscriber contact details, along with
the booking and enquiry history for all of their travellers.
Campaign Objective
The client, StudentUniverse, is looking for an agency to help createacampaignthat willdeliveratleast
350bookings,fromUKtravellersto the NT, to be bookedviathe StudentUniversewebsiteduringtheperiod
of1to30June 2021.
The campaign will be expected to start in the Autumn of 2020, when students return from their Summer
break (recruitment), and to encourage bookings (conversions) to the NT for the following June, 2021.
You have two tasks:
1. CW1, a creative pitch
Firstly you need to pitch your creative ideas to show the client you understand the market and can
communicate effective and affective messages that can capture the interest of the target market and
drive response (visits to the web sites and data capture from potential visitors, together with profile
building).
This should be a group based ‘agency pitch’, as if you are aiming to win the business, i.e. you are
seeking to be appointed by the client to develop a full campaign plan. You should imagine you are in
competition with other marketing agencies and that it is your role to make a 10 to 12 minutes
presentation (supported with visual aids and any other creative material you feel will illustrate to the
client what the character and themes of your campaign would be – this may include a short film or
mock up advertisement, this could also be in the form of a story board). What is vital is that you
illustrate you have a grasp of the task and that you can show you have the creative flair to
communicate with the target audience with relevant messages to help drive the campaign. You are not
expected to have a full campaign plan for this initial stage, your role is to show the client you have the
flair and capability to work with them and to support their objectives.
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2. CW2, a campaign plan
Secondly, as if you have been selected from the initial pitch, you should imagine you have been
selected by the client to provide creative professional marketing services needed to run the campaign.
You need to provide a full marketing communication plan. This will need to show the character of each
element of your campaign against the objectives each aims to support, along with media options,
responses activity and return on investment.
You have been instructed that the outline budget is £70,000
Considerations
For the initial pitch (CW1):
• What insights do you have about your target audience to shape the campaign?
• What data strategy will help to explain who and how you will use data?
• How will GDPR be complied with?
• How can you gain insight about your target audience and drive measureable results for the
campaign?
• Can you demonstrate your campaign “big idea” and creative strategy?
• Will it help to submit a short video in your presentation to illustrate your idea?
For the full camping plan (CW2):
Do you have an integrated and multichannel approach and does this need to coordinate online and
offline elements?
Can you explain your media choices and budget breakdown?
Do you need a Gantt chart/promotional schedule?
Have you thought to test and learn within the plan?
Does the campaign have impact and creative content to grab audience attention, and with a suitable
message?
Background Information
StudentUniverse is on a mission to make global experiences possible. They believe travel is essential
to a modern education, and that students return enlightened and inspired. StudentUniverse is the
world’s leading travel booking service for students and youth, headquartered in Boston, with offices in
London, Toronto, New York, Brisbane and the Philippines. They aim to empower students and young
people to travel the world by offering student discounts, youth fares, and top deals on flights, hotels,
tours, groups, and more. Millions of students use the service every year either to travel the world or
simply book cheap flights home in the holidays.
1999 – StudentUniverse founded by Espen Odegard and Fredrick Carl Stormer to help students find the cheapest
possible travel fares
2000 – StudentUniverse launches its first online booking engine
2010 – StudentUniverse launches discounted airfares for 18-25 year-olds, to help all young people to discover the
world, even if they aren’t students
2013 – StudentUniverse UK launches
2015 – StudentUniverse is acquired by Flight Centre Travel Group, one of the world’s largest travel agency groups
2016 – StudentUniverse UK joins forces with gapyear.com, the world’s leading travel advice resource for
backpackers
2018 – StudentUniverse wins Best Youth Travel Agent at the Global Youth Travel Awards (GYTAs) for a third time
2019 – StudentUniverse Australia launches
www.studentuniverse.co.uk
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Introduction to Tourism NT and the Northern Territory, Australia
Tourism NT is a Northern Territory Government statutory authority responsible for promoting the
Northern Territory as a must-do, unique holiday destination.
The role of Tourism NT is to market the Northern Territory as a desirable visitor destination and
facilitate the sustainable growth of the tourism industry in the Northern Territory.
Tourism NT has been established as a commission by the Northern Territory Government under the
Tourism NT Act 2012. Tourism NT is responsible for marketing and influencing the development of the
Northern Territory as a competitive visitor destination for the continuing benefit of Territorians.
They aim to increase the desirability of the Northern Territory as a travel destination, inspiring more
people to visit, stay longer and spend more.
Tourism NT develop short and long-term marketing campaigns that promote the Northern Territory as a
unique and must-visit holiday destination.
Their campaigns highlight the incredible natural beauty of the diverse regions, from the tropical Top
End to the rich outback of the Red Centre and the amazing adventures you can have there, focusing
on the ease of access to the Northern Territory.
The branding at Tourism NT is new. The images that follow demonstrate how they present the territory
in its beauty and depth and, alongside the brand guidelines, these should inspire your campaign.
www.tourismnt.com.au/
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Images from Tourism NT.
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Tourism NT partners and stakeholders.
Tourism NT works with the following main partners and stakeholders to achieve these outcomes:
• The tourism industry to market the Territory interstate and overseas as a visitor destination
• The travel industry to influence and coordinate partnerships with wholesalers and retail agents
to facilitate distribution of the Territory’s tourism product
• The Northern Territory Government, through the Minister for Tourism, by providing policy and
other advice
• The Tourism Board of Commissioners, on strategic issues facing the Northern Territory’s
tourism industry
StudentUniverse and Tourism NT have worked together for the last three financial years predominately
focussed on raising awareness of the region and increasing the number of international arrivals into
Darwin amongst the UK’s student and youth market.
Campaigns have varied over time from launching with a Carnegie Award winning writer heading down
to the Territory to write for leading student media outlets, to nationwide radio campaigns promoting the
Northern Territory.
Most recently, they’ve run student events educating potential travellers on the benefits of taking a
working holiday visa in the Territory.
Local NT expenditure per UK visitor according to Tourism NT: AUS $1,175.
Resources
Key information to assist you with the challenge, including marketing metrics, customer demographics
This assignment is made up of a written Marketing Communications Plan and must demonstrate the debate
of module concepts and theories.
For the final assignment for this module, you are required to write a Marketing Communications Plan.
Adopting the role of a marketing communications consultant, use the Client Brief and create a marketing
communications plan for the UK. You should develop a one-year marketing communications plan to launch
a campaign. Your campaign should be designed to stand out. Try to use visuals and be creative!
Review the external environment to decide what would appeal to a market segment (justifying your choices)
Define your campaign objectives-Decide on your positioning by assessing the competition and compile a
perceptual map to identify a gap in the market
Explain your brand identity and personality as well as the value proposition, giving reasons for your choices
Using a range of traditional and digital tools and social media, devise and justify the promotional strategy to
reach the customer
Consider the appeal to be used
Give reasons for the chosen message and the source
Explain how and why you will create a buzz
Think of the schedule (pulse, drip etc…)
Develop a media plan, giving reasons for your suggestions
Explain the evaluation techniques to be employed.