AusLeisure

The promotion of the two century-long heritage of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney has been recognised with the marketing team behind the ‘200 years and still growing campaign’ receiving the Campaign Award at the second Leisure Industry Communication and Marketing Awards.

Presented at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium last Thursday evening (24th August), the Award recognises how the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney team marked the milestone event with a packed year of celebrations, including Vivid Sydney, helping to draw a record-breaking 5.2 million visitors in 2016/17.

An oasis of green in the heart of the city, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is among the top 10 most popular destinations for international visitors to Australia. Founded by Governor Macquarie in 1816, the Garden has endured to become the oldest botanic garden and oldest living scientific institution in the country.

The celebration saw a distinctive new brand created and applied across all birthday marketing and into 2017. The look and feel was echoed throughout the new easy-to-navigate website featuring improved travel directions and access, facilities information, events, suggested itineraries and optimisation for mobile access.

The strategy encompassed three pillars: celebration, engagement and legacy. A busy, year-long program of events, activations and partnerships was created in these three areas, with an overarching aim to present the Garden as a vibrant, not static, attraction.

An integrated marketing and communications campaign expanded the Garden’s primary USP – our world-class horticulture - with three additional USPs, chosen to spark conversations with visitors, and between visitors.

All four selling points were communicated to target markets through tangible messaging and integrated visitor experiences.

1. World-class horticulture 
2. New living exhibition venue, The Calyx 
3. World-leading team of scientists 
4. Long and significant history

The campaign lifted overall visitation by 4% to a record 5.22 million in 2016/17 on top of a record-breaking 2015/16 year that saw a 29% increase in visitation to 4.99 million.

Commenting on the Award, Australasian Leisure Management Publisher Nigel Benton stated “the achievement of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s team in developing and running this campaign is truly remarkable and makes them an appropriate winner of our Campaign Award.”

Middle images shows Amy Jozing, Manager Communications & Public Affairs for Botanic Gardens & Centennial Parklands receiving the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s Campaign Award from Australasian Leisure Management Publisher Nigel Benton.

25th August 2017 - INDUSTRY AWARDS RECOGNISE THE BEST IN LEISURE COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

17th August 2017 - UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

8th May 2017 - SYDNEY’S THE CALYX TO HOST AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST INDOOR ‘GREEN WALL’ 

13th June 2016 - ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY CELEBRATES 200 YEARS WITH NEW EXHIBITION CENTRE OPENING

14th December 2015 - NEW PUBLICATION CHARTS THE HISTORY OF ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY

6th December 2015 - SYDNEY ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS TO OPEN ‘CATHEDRAL OF PLANTS’ IN ITS BICENTENARY YEAR

8th October 2015 - MORE THAN 39 MILLION VISITS TO NSW NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES IN 2014

14th August 2015 - SOLAR POWER BOOSTS ENERGY HARVESTING AT THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.