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The Best Job in the World

The successful applicant was not the only winner in "The Best Job in the World" campaign.

The global search for a caretaker at an Australian island resort on the Great Barrier Reef is actually one of the most innovative marekting ideas in a long time. Advertising companies and tourism organisations constantly struggle to find ways to get their messages heard in a relevant way to their target market, particularly during the current global financial crisis and swine flu.

Here are some key elements of the campaign and thoughts about how you apply the concepts to your organisation.

Designed by Queensland Tourism Board, the job interview process was a well-executed global advertising campaign that cost less than one millions dollars. The worldwide coverage, particularly in key target market areas of USA, UK and Asia, was based on news that was interesting and exciting as opposed to the usual "please visit our country".

  • How can you create newsworthiness around your product or service?
  • What event can you hold that the media would be interested in --- that you can tie your product into?
One of the core concepts was the "aspirational" marketing element --- people aspire to be like the applicants.
  • What is cool about the value your product adds? What would the ideal person be like?
The timing of the job interviews made those shivering in the northern hemisphere contemplate coming to a warmer climate for a holiday.
  • Pull out a calendar and see what events you can leverage from other than the standard Christmas or Mother's Day campaigns.
Of the 16 finalists, only two were Australian --- others included an Olympic equestrian gold medallist from Switzerland, an Italian doctor, an ex-British Army commander and a teenager from England who is sick of the cold and is looking for warmer climes.
  • Think broadly about your target market --- what imagery would create an affinity with your product or service?
What elements struck you? How could others create a similar result?

Oh, and the winner is ... http://www.islandreefjob.com/.

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