How our local knowledge lit up Edinburgh for Raymond Gubbay

Challenge

Raymond Gubbay is a longstanding client of The Grove Media and promote a wide range of events, concerts, operas, and ballet in the UK.

One of our challenges has been to continually grow visitor numbers to the Botanics Christmas Light Show in Edinburgh since its launch in 2017.

Solution

An evolved strategy, striking the perfect balance between offline and online channels to maximise awareness and ticket conversion.

Rather than rely on repeat activity, planning has been agile and flexible, adapting to suit changing consumer habits ensuring that each year our campaign is unmissable in the busy pre-Christmas period.

The media plan is an optimised blend of TV, OOH, online, print and local magazine partnerships to drive performance.

The tactical local TV campaign on STV drove considerable ticket sales, supported by a multi format OOH campaign enhancing reach. Through using digital 6 Sheets on busy high traffic roads and shopping centres, large roadside digital posters, selected rail sites and bus supersides we were able to effectively target commuters, shoppers and workers in situ across many key locations prior to Christmas.

This activity was supplemented by geo and audience targeted print & digital partnerships with key local publishers including National World, Reach, Newsquest and The List. These partnerships not only delivered substantial data capture but significant impact and drove added value in the form of free editorial / features. Online activity included social, native and digital display; all laser focused to bespoke audiences.

Results

Since the 2017 launch of the first Christmas Light Show in Edinburgh – visitor numbers have grown over 50% to 90,000+ tickets in 2023, making this 6-week event an established part of the Edinburgh Christmas calendar.

The strategy of adapting planning to changing media conditions and consumer habits has been crucial to increasing visitor numbers each year.