Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, today congratulated Tourism Australia on receiving the overall Best of Show award and Best Social Media Marketing category at the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Awards for their Making Tracks campaign.
In addition, one of Tourism Australia's interactive digital banners has been selected by Google to be included in their Creative Canvas, a collection of innovative advertising campaigns using Google's products, in 2011.
"Tourism Australia’s innovative use of social media as part of the Making Tracks campaign has successfully shown the world why There's nothing like Australia," Minister Ferguson said.
"We know that marketing Australia to the world means harnessing the power of the internet. The creative collaboration with YouTube enabled Tourism Australia to reach new markets by focusing on music and the arts.
"Making Tracks involved videos of journeys across Australia and musical compositions by members of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra and contemporary Australian musicians broadcast as a series on YouTube and via Tourism Australia’s digital and social media channels.
"The campaign ran in the lead up to the YouTube Symphony Orchestra which took place at the Sydney Opera House in March and was successful in showcasing many of Australia's most iconic visitor attractions to an international online audience of tens of millions.
"The four Making Tracks online videos generated a total of more than 2.7 million views, with a significant increase in subscription to Tourism Australia’s dedicated YouTube channel. One of the videos became the most viewed YouTube clip in Australia.
“To date, the YouTube Symphony Orchestra final concert has been viewed by 33 million globally, including 11.1 million streams during the live concert itself, making it the most watched live music concert in YouTube history.”
Tourism Australia engaged creative agency DDB Sydney and production company Grainger TV to help deliver the campaign, alongside its own marketing team.
The Tourism Australia/DDB Sydney Making Tracks campaign will now be entered into the IAB MIXX Awards in the US.