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Coach firm switches marketing focus with ARN promotion

Jonesy and AmandaCoach holiday firm, Trafalgar, will step-up its first national radio promotion this week after signing a four-week $200,000 deal with the Australian Radio Network (ARN).

The promotion has been led by media agency Bohemia with the aim of creating more consumer advocacy for the Trafalgar brand.

It will see the coach firm partner with Sydney’s WSFM and its market leading breakfast show hosts Jonesy and Amanda, along with Gold 104.3 in Melbourne, 4KQ in Brisbane, Cruise 1323 in Adelaide and 96FM in Perth.trafalgar18918_tour

One listener and their partner – dubbed the Trafalgar ‘Insiders’ – will be sent on an eight-day holiday to California and write a daily blog which will be promoted on-air, while 60-second integrated content pieces will air during the Jonesy and Amanda show.

Other promotional spots will feature across the ARN network throughout the day until July 25.

The move comes as Trafalgar adopts a fresh approach to its marketing, with a focus on delivering content produced by its customers.

Trafalgar head of marketing Brooke Formica said: “Rather than us telling people how good Trafalgar is, the Trafalgar Insiders will be real people experiencing the product and telling the story.

“It is a way of bringing the brand to life and building advocacy.”

She admitted that such an approach carried risks in terms of negative feedback from the competition winner. But brands face such risks through social media channels every day and must react, Formica said.

“Absolutely there are risks but we are confident in the product and expect them to have a great experience,” she added.

Bohemia business director Jonny Cordony said the execution of the campaigns represents a shift “away from the traditional approach to marketing” for Trafalgar.

The move comes as the coach tour operator, part of The Travel Corporation which also owns youth brand Contiki Holidays and AAT Kings, continues to re-market its product as “guided holidays” in an attempt to distance itself from the sometimes-negative connotations associated with coach touring.

Steve Jones

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