360° approach for North Brabant

VisitBrabant, the DMO of the Dutch province of North Brabant, is a client for whom we can apply the entire scope of our services, from analysis & strategy to the hands-on translation into a total action plan. North Brabant may be just across the border, but the opportunities on the Belgian travel market are endless. Everyone knows the biggest assets of the destination such as the Efteling or the Beekse Bergen. But North Brabant has so much more to offer and so VisitBrabant, the communication agency Louder and Thx.agency work hand in hand to create awareness and activate on all fronts. A true 360° approach, because this way we can ensure that B2C and B2B, PR, influencer marketing and media campaigns reinforce each other.

Promotion on all fronts

What do people know in North Brabant today and what image does it conjure up? That was the starting point of the collaboration. A thorough panel and expert survey provided insights into brand awareness and provided substance to the most appropriate strategy for promotion in Belgium. The most Flemish province of the Netherlands is strongly reminiscent of Flanders when it comes to its Burgundian and friendly character. We could already play that point. In addition, we saw a great need to further develop the brand and its tourist assets. This laid the starting point for all further activities in the market: PR, influencer marketing, above and below the line media campaigns and B2B product development.

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Impactful collaboration

Results

In 2023, VisitBrabant and Thx.agency worked together on all fronts. We set up large-scale media campaigns in different flights. The media were actively inspired by press releases and press trips. Influencers discovered what North Brabant had to offer. We entered into discussions with travel professionals and ensured innovation in their offer. A successful 360° approach to the market that will only become even more aligned in the coming year.

Media campaign

10,3 mln impressions

Earned media value PR

485 K

B2B contacts

+45

Our focus?

How we took on the challenge

We already laid the foundation for our in-depth collaboration with VisitBrabant in 2022. Based on a consumer survey and baseline measurement, we wanted to see how well known the region was, whether travelers had a positive attitude towards it and how we could best promote the region on the market. The learnings from then were applied in various campaigns, including in 2023. We decided to emphasize family holidays.

In addition to an extensive PR action plan with press releases, inserts in our monthly Thx.files, influencer collaborations, ambassadorships and various press trips, we also developed an extensive media campaign in 2 flights. We used the most important assets such as the Efteling and the Beekse Bergen to let consumers discover the rest of the destination. We worked on awareness through radio in combination with online campaigns, while we specifically put the offer in the spotlight with video. Digital OOH campaigns and the coastal tram were also used in addition to native and print articles within various titles of DPG and Roularta, the largest media groups in the country.

At the same time, we also activated the travel industry. Using our TraviQ tool, we screened the market and found the right contacts who could be motivated to include North Brabant as a new destination in the Netherlands. Sales calls, B2B newsletters, webinars and events were the basis for this. In this way, research, PR, B2B activation and media campaigns work hand in hand and are reinforcing.