The brief:

Following successful 2013 and 2014 campaigns, we were retained for the third time by South Africa’s only consumer-driven wine tourism competition, The Klink Awards, to engage the public to vote for their favourite things to do in the Western Cape Winelands and increase awareness of the area’s diversity – beyond the cellar door.

Approach:

First we helped Klink build its brand by positioning it around #trending wine tourism. Then we initiated a partnership with the Western Cape Tourism Body, Wesgro – whose mandate of driving domestic tourism to the Winelands strongly aligns to Klink’s – to strengthen its industry relationships and credentials.

With our strategy in place, we launched to media and bloggers in the Franschhoek Wine Valley in September. Then we partnered with eight relevant platforms including FoodBlogCT, Die Burger, Sunday Times Neighbourhood, Leisure Options online and Purely Local online to engage their audiences to vote between September and November. We also generated plenty of editorial in leading weekend newspapers as well as online and on social media throughout the voting period, all of which further raised the brand’s profile among everyday South Africans.

Results:

Our efforts saw us secure 55 pieces of positive earned media and 117 social media posts over four months. Published by the Weekend Argus, Rapport, Travel24, WomenStuff and Essentials online, among others, Klink enjoyed a reach of 18 534 855 and an AVE 1:1 of R3.1– million. This consistent exposure across multiple platforms played a significant role in delivering over 11 000 unique votes from the public via its website and which reinforced Klink’s role in the development of the local wine tourism industry.