Stories Beat Stuff targets youth market to make New Zealand popular again

Tourism New Zealand has launched its latest marketing initiative Stories Beat Stuff - challenging the influential youth market to give up their stuff for the chance to win one of six New Zealand experiences of a lifetime.

Asking the question, 'what would you trade for the story of a lifetime?', the initiative is based on the idea that amazing life experiences surpass material possessions for young people.

'Using interactive media the initiative will encourage youth to find out more about the New Zealand experience and to tell us what they would give up to acquire the story of a lifetime.

Stories are the things that mean most to you later in life, and New Zealand provides a life changing experience.' said Tourism New Zealand General Manager Marketing Communications, Justin Watson.

'A strategic focus of all our marketing activity is the prioritization of key markets and sectors for growth. With the youth segment (aged 15 - 29) making up almost 25 per cent of annual arrivals to New Zealand, they are of significant importance for our tourism industry.

'We are targeting the key youth market because of the substantial growth opportunities they present. They have the potential to stay longer, spend more and are more likely to return to New Zealand later in life. What we offer as a Country is ideally suited to the youth traveller,' he said.

As the latest activity of the recently launched There's Too Much Too Miss campaign, Stories Beat Stuff reinforces the New Zealand 100% Pure You campaign by showing how it is the combination of activities, landscape and people that make a uniquely New Zealand experience.

'We know that once youth travellers get here they are blown away by all that New Zealand has to offer and often wish they had stayed longer. This initiative addresses this barrier by increasing their understanding of the New Zealand experience, in turn working to increase youth arrivals to New Zealand,' he said.

Rolled out in major markets around the world over the next year the initiative uses youth-friendly digital and social media via newzealand.com, Facebook and YouTube.

'The stories shared essentially become the content of the campaign and build on the experiences that we show on the site and use to advertise the initiative to get youth travellers to sign-up and enter the competition. This enables us to engage with the youth market in a way that really resonates with them.'

Tourism New Zealand has worked with industry partners to increase the reach and effectiveness of the activity. 'Key to the development of both this initiative, and our overall youth strategy, has been establishing a relationship with the Backpacker, Youth and Adventure Travel Association (BYATA) as we work to reposition New Zealand as ultimate destination for the youth market,' said Mr Watson.

'We have also partnered with Air New Zealand and a number of New Zealand operators to provide the experiences of a lifetime, and are also working with in-market sellers to provide related products so people can also buy the experiences we are showcasing to them.'

The winners of the six experiences will be announced throughout the year with the first arriving in January-February 2012. To see Stories Beat Stuff click here.