The restaurant industry was on its knees at the height of the pandemic. At the same time, Yalumba, one of Australia's oldest family-owned wine brands, needed to improve perception of the quality of its products.
Yalumba and its media agency, Kaimera, went to Newsamp, News Corp’s strategy and solutions arm.
The plan was to weave the spirit of Yalumba’s rich heritage of innovation into its storytelling by aligning with an audience striving for quality and who love to explore and experiment.
The restaurant industry, which had long been an important contributor to Yalumba’s success, was a natural fit and would be a key ingredient in the road to recovery for both industry and brand.
Building on Yalumba’s “Embrace the magnificent unknown” positioning, News Corp launched “Book a table, embrace Australia” in September 2020, that encouraged people to support the struggling restaurant industry and regional communities while enjoying Yalumba wines.
To get Australians back out and exploring by tasting out of the ordinary food in regional areas, the execution included ROAM, a bespoke magazine dedicated to the cause that was distributed digitally and in metro newspapers, a video series, editorial and branded articles, and social posts.
The first campaign ending May 2021 was a huge success. Yalumba was the best-performing campaign on the News Corp network, out-ranking all previous campaigns on effectiveness metrics. It was also Kantar’s best-ever result for brand consideration uplift on a content-led campaign.
- Increasing understanding that Yalumba makes quality wine by 19%, from 65% to 84%
- Increasing premium perception 24%
- Increasing brand consideration for Yalumba 17%
The restaurant industry also saw a benefit, with the campaign increasing the desire to visit new regions and restaurants by 27%.
As domestic travel was normalising by mid 2021, cultural sentiment had changed, meaning News Corp Australia had to pivot to remain relevant and build on the campaigns previous success in its second year.
Though the pandemic was waning, international borders stayed shut. At the same time, behavioural data from News Corp Australia’s digital ecosystem revealed that interest in international travel content remained strong.
There was also a dramatic uptick in views on food content from around the world. The trend was clear: Australians were quenching their desire for international travel through food.
“Book a table, embrace Australia: flavours from around the world” was launched in August 2021, exploring diverse food and cultures through the lens of the nation’s produce.
By heroing relevant restaurants and recipes, audiences were inspired to book a table beyond their usual restaurant of choice, and to cook international cuisine at home. And Yalumba featured prominently as the preferred wine pairing no matter the meal.
The second campaign again smashed records, becoming the best-performing campaign on the News Corp Australia network, out ranking all previous campaigns on effectiveness metrics.
It was also Kantar’s best result for brand consideration uplift on a content-led campaign, driving a 20% increase in brand consideration, an 8% increase in favourability and a 9% increase in premium perception.
Yalumba Wine Company Marketing Manager, Jessica Hill Smith, said: “A key driver of the campaign’s ongoing success has been evolving to consumer needs and adapting accordingly.
“Newsamp’s ability to provide unique insights into cultural sentiment by leveraging the digital ecosystems of News Corp Australia made a real difference in our capability here, and helped Yalumba drive a real change in behaviour when it comes to consumers engaging with both our wines and regional restaurants. We’re thoroughly looking forward to seeing what a third year of working together will bring.”
Kaimera Head Of Client Services, Anna Magliano, said: “The team at Kaimera could not be prouder to have launched this campaign back in September 2020 and to see its evolution to date.
“Winemakers have been through so much during these last 18 months, from fires and droughts to global pandemics. Working with a trusted media partner like News Corp Australia to help stimulate the industry and drive business outcomes for such an incredible brand like Yalumba has been extremely gratifying.”
Newsamp Head of Client Strategy and Solutions IMMA, Nathan Livingston, said: “Strong collaboration between client, agency and media owner from the inception of strategy through to campaign activation is testament to the ongoing results we’re seeing for Yalumba, and the reviving regional travel and restaurant industries grossly affected by the pandemic.”
This month Yalumba, News Corp Australia and Kaimera will enter their third year of working together under a different cultural backdrop, now fueled by economic uncertainty. Australians are looking for moments of everyday escapism, seeking out compelling and creative dining experiences to enjoy as a result. Where will they book a table in 2023? We will soon find out.
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