West Beach Parks
A seaside cast of characters bringing West Beach Parks to life
BIG4 West Beach Parks wanted to strengthen its appeal to families with young children and create a point of difference from competing holiday destinations. The opportunity was to bring the park to life through a series of characters that would connect with its youngest, and most discerning, audience – kids under 12.
Inspired by the sea creatures found in and around the Southern Ocean, Fuller developed Sonny the Starfish, a six-armed star of the show with a natural sense of adventure. But no starfish should holiday alone. Enter Daphne the Dolphin, Carlos Cuttlefish and the rest of the seaside crew. And just like that, Sonny and Friends was born.
socials
752 new followers
An increase of followers on social media by 752.
Bookings
$146K new revenue
Bookings for the period were up YOY by 6%.
Character Development
Twelve original characters were designed, each with their own personality and place within the West Beach Parks experience. From Sonny the Starfish to his colourful collection of seaside friends, the characters were designed to capture children's imaginations and give families something extra to discover during their stay.
To bring the characters beyond the screen and into the park, Fuller developed life-sized character designs, alongside a Sonny the Starfish mascot for events.
Bringing it to Life
Taking the characters from concept to an immersive experience, Fuller developed a suite of creative assets to introduce the new cast to holidaymakers.
A custom Sonny and Friends storybook and colouring book were written and produced for families to enjoy on arrival. An animated video brought all 12 characters together, dancing to their own original jingle. Designed to play across reception, cabin and kids club screens, it gave families another way to get to know their new seaside friends.
Launch Campaign
Making a splash with South Australian families.
With Sonny and Friends ready to take over BIG4 West Beach Parks from 1 June 2023, the next challenge was to build anticipation and introduce the characters to families across South Australia.
Fuller developed a three-phase launch campaign, giving the West Beach Parks marketing team time to plan, produce and install the characters throughout the park while building excitement ahead of their arrival.
Pre-launch
The Teaser
A little mystery went a long way. Peek-a-boo imagery and 'guess who' messaging created intrigue around the new park activation. Digital and outdoor advertising encouraged families to get involved, while an online Guess Who competition offered the chance to win an overnight stay at West Beach Parks.
Soft launch
Meet Sonny and Friends
The soft launch revealed the new characters to South Australia through an animated advertisement featuring their original jingle. Digital, outdoor and radio advertising introduced Sonny and Friends, encouraging families to book a holiday and meet the characters from 1 June.
A series of articles, written in the voices of Sonny and his friends, also brought the experience to life online and gave families another reason to discover the park.
Launch
Let the adventure begin
With the characters officially installed throughout the park, the launch campaign encouraged families to come and meet Sonny and his friends for themselves.
On-site signage along Tapleys Hill Road and a large welcome mural at the park entrance helped bring the new characters into the physical experience. Outdoor and digital advertising, including bus backs, extended the campaign across South Australia, encouraging families to escape the winter chill with a holiday at West Beach Parks.
Additional articles showcasing winter activities helped drive interest and traffic to the website.
In their words
What our client's say.
