Visit Sunshine Coast launches world’s first solar powered destination ad

Friday, October 7, 2022

Visit Sunshine Coast (VSC) has harnessed the power of its region’s namesake – sunshine – to film its latest campaign ad: Sunshine Moments.

Sunshine Moments launched today and encourages holiday-makers to visit the Sunshine Coast to find their own ‘Sunshine Moment’ that will leave them beaming from the inside out.

In a world-first the campaign ad was filmed using solar power in nine locations across the Sunshine Coast, with a portable 5kw solar generator attached to the film crew’s production vehicle powering everything from their cameras to laptops, battery chargers and even hair dryers.

The film crew and local talent involved in the shoot also took steps to travel sustainably across the destination, with VSC working through the companies Earthcheck and Reforest to remove any emissions generated from aspects of the production that were not able to be solar powered.

Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel said the campaign embraces the destination’s name and aims to show visitors that on the Sunshine Coast sunshine is not just a physical thing, it’s a feeling.

“Here on the Sunshine Coast we’re both sunny by name and sunny by nature, with the campaign inviting visitors to come here and find their Sunshine Moment,” he said.

“There is no shortage of incredible experiences to be had here – from eco adventures that will get you back to nature to paddock to plate dining experiences, adrenalin inducing tours and rainforest retreats – meaning no matter what makes you happy and energised, you’ll find it on the Sunshine Coast.

“Sunshine Moments is all about sharing these experiences that make the Sunshine Coast so special with holiday makers, and giving them the freedom to come here and do what they love and cherish those moments that matter to them.”

Mr Stoeckel said the decision to film the ad using sunshine from the Sunshine Coast reflected the sustainability credentials of the destination.

“The Sunshine Coast is the only destination in the world where three UNESCO Biospheres sit side-by-side, and everything we can do to support the ongoing sustainability of our destination, whether it be big or small, can make a difference,” he said.

“A recent study by The Expedia Group, the 2022 Sustainable Travel Study, found a staggering 90 per cent of holiday makers are looking for sustainable options when travelling.

“We have some incredible examples of eco tourism operators on the Sunshine Coast, and part of this campaign will be about giving these operators a platform to share their sustainable practices and attract likeminded travellers.”

To best capture the essence of the destination, Sunshine Moments was also filmed using those who really know a thing or two about Sunshine Moments: Sunshine Coast locals.

“Real people, real experiences, real nature and real authenticity is at the heart of what makes the Sunshine Coast so special,” Mr Stoeckel said.

Sunshine Moments will be rolled out in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria across multi-media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WeAre8, Broadcast Video on Demand (BVOD), YouTube pre-roll, Programmatic Display and Native Tiles.

The campaign will be critical in helping lure back interstate visitors to the Sunshine Coast now there are no longer any restrictions on travel, with interstate visitors crucial to supporting the Sunshine Coast tourism industry during mid-week and off-peak periods.

The campaign is well timed to capitalize on strong demand for the destination that was reflected in the recent National Visitor Survey for the year ending June 2022 which showed record overnight visitor expenditure for the Sunshine Coast, a total of $3 billion, which is up 8.4 per cent compared to the same time period in 2019 pre-Covid.

“We have a lot of confidence that Sunshine Moments will connect with travellers and importantly see us get back numbers of more than 1 million interstate visitors that we had prior to the pandemic.”

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