OPRAH WINFREY
Ultimate Australian Adventure
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Momentum² and eckfactor collaborated to manage the media and stakeholder relations for Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure, the biggest tourism promotion and media event held in Australia since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The agencies were jointly appointed by Oprah Winfrey’s production company after a competitive pitch and were appointed to be the local Harpo PR representatives for this high profile project.
Momentum² and eckfactor also worked in close cooperation with Tourism Australia and Qantas, who had originally secured this major event for Australia.
CLIENT OBJECTIVES
The brief from Harpo Productions was to ensure that the Oprah Winfrey Show enjoyed a successful tour of Australia and that the entire team would be remembered as gracious guests of Australia. In addition, the aim was to manage and maximise media coverage and to be at the centre of all communications management with the project partners.
OUTCOMES
Momentum² and eckfactor were extremely proud to be part of this project and to have helped generate the outstanding results, including:
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Generated more than 6.2 billion impressions from 3,400 global stories with a value of more than $184 million in estimated advertising value
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Generated more than 1.2 billion impressions from 83,000 domestic stories valued at over $140 million in estimated advertising value
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More than 70,000 domestic stories valued at more than $140 million
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Oprah’s Ultimate Australia Adventure won the timeslot on Network Ten for each of the four episodes aired in Australia*
Key areas of activity included:
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Media relations – including the development of an online media registration and accreditation site; the site also serviced media requirement for images, information and regular postings from Ms Winfrey.
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Managing media relations for the tour – including Ms Winfrey’s visits to Hamilton Island, Uluru, Melbourne, and Sydney.
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The agencies closely involved in the planning and execution of the tour. For example, the Sydney visit included five days of events – airport arrival and guest welcome; Botanic Gardens Welcome; Bridge Climb, setting a new world record; sailing regatta on Sydney Harbour with Russell Crowe and the two Oprah Winfrey Show tapings from the Sydney Opera House, involving 12,000 people.
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Managing the media conference – Oprah Winfrey’s only media conference for Australia was held in the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House with over 200 media attending, including 26 camera crews. The conference was moderated by Kim McKay.
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Managing stakeholder relations – working closely with all governments and sponsors for the tour event. This included Tourism Australia, Qantas, NSW Government and regulatory agencies, Victorian Government and regulatory agencies, Sydney Opera House, Network Ten, all State Tourism Offices.
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In NSW and Victoria, the agencies were closely involved in the planning for major public events and coordinated efforts with major authorities for crowd control and safely. The agencies also liaised with the relevant offices for the Prime Minister, Federal Minister for Tourism, State Premiers, and State Tourism Ministers and well as other key figures.
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Tune-in publicity – the agencies also supported Network Ten with broadcast publicity to drive viewership of the four Oprah Winfrey Show specials, which covered the two Sydney Opera House shows as well as two specials covering Oprah and her 302 ultimate audience as they travelled around Australia.
* figures reported by Tourism Australia