The Development of the "Secrets" Image of South Australia

This article investigates the impact of a specific marketing campaign, aimed at raising awareness of both the image and attractions of South Australia, which would position South Australia as a holiday destination in its target markets. Most tourism (80%) in South Australia is from the domestic market, but extensive research showed the key markets of Sydney and Melbourne didn't know what South Australia had to offer—and this was the major factor preventing growth in domestic tourism. Potential holidaymakers had few negative perceptions about the State; rather, they were inhibited by a lack of information. In 1998, the South Australian Tourism Commission developed the "Best Kept Secrets" marketing strategy, which promoted authentic experiences and positioned South Australia as a compelling holiday destination. It involved extensive use of the media—cinema, magazine and print advertising—and the nation's largest direct mail tourism campaign, which created a "sense of place" that derived much of its impact from the use of iconic vision and images of South Australia. The camera was all important in portraying that "secret" image

Advertising · Art · Business · Commission · Destination Image · Destinations · Geography · Media studies · Movie theater · Political science · Sociology · Tourism · Visual arts · Law · Media Studies and Communication · Marketing

• The Potential of Arts-Based Transformative Research

  Open Access•Agnieszka Rydzik, Anne Pritchard et al.•Annals of Tourism Research•2013

  Add to list