Campaigns Timetable

Our 9 thematic campaigns for the WIGHT BID year (Sept 16 to Aug 17) are:

Aug – Nov 2016
ISLE OF LIGHT – day trips and short breaks for couples and families
Focusing on the last light of summer, longer warmer evenings, illuminations, fireworks, candlelit dining, indoor attractions and outdoor pursuits. Social media, radio, press and digital advertising to attract couples and families to the Island for the October to early November period.

If you would like your business or organisation to feature in the campaign, you need to be in the campaign toolkit. Read more about campaign toolkits here. 

Oct – Mar 2017
I LOVE WIGHT – Romantic breaks and spring escapes
Portraying the Island as a romantic getaway before Easter, ideal for valentines, popping the question, luxury breaks and the fresh outdoors. Intimate dining, romantic places to stay, wedding and anniversary venues. Billboard hoarding, press trips, social media, radio, press and digital advertising to attract couples for early season breaks.

If you would like your business or organisation to feature in the campaign, you need to be in the campaign toolkit. Read more about campaign toolkits here. 

Feb-October 2017
RETURN TO ADVENTURE ISLAND – Family and friends, short breaks and longer holidays
Selling the Island as a place of many adventures, both indoor and out. Designating 2017 the year of family adventures and creating new adventure trails and treasure hunts for visitors to follow. Highlighting quality time together. Print, press & editorial, outdoor posters, social media, radio, press, bloggers and digital advertising and competitions to attract families and friends for breaks during the Easter, Spring Bank and Summer school holidays and weekends in June.

**ALERT** RETURN TO ADVENTURE ISLAND: The Year of Family Adventures Campaign participation page is now live. If you would like to feature in this campaign click here now.

What are we looking for?

  • Details about adventures for families to do together
  • Details about great places to stay that have a sense of adventure and are great for families
  • Information & photos of family restaurants, cafes, diners, tours and events that bring families together
  • We’re especially interested in activities, trails and treasure hunts that families and friends can enjoy together.
  • We’re looking for the best family adventure experiences, and we’ll invite journalists from the mainland to come over and try them out.

March – June 2017
WELLNESS BREAKS – Late spring, early summer and autumn short breaks
This campaign capitalises on the surge in interest in wellness breaks. It will focus on encouraging people to visit and therefore feel better in mind, body or spirit. It includes Isle Walk 2017, yoga retreats, spa breaks, spiritual escapes, cultural courses, therapies, healthy eating, physical activities (including IW Festival of Running) and relaxing breaks.  Gardens will also be included in the lead up to the Wight in Bloom competition.
Marketing will include digital, press trips, packages, competitions, social media, editorial features and advertising.

What are we looking for?

  • Learning breaks/courses – this could be painting, yoga, photography, mindfulness or general wellness breaks, anything where you learn something new and stretch your mind.
  • Spas breaks and treatments
  • Restaurants/cafes/pubs serving healthy food, local produce
  • Outdoor activities – kayaking, sailing, climbing, golf etc – anything that people can come and do together or on their own
  • Garden openings, short courses or talks relating to gardening
  • Inspirational viewpoints/walks recommended by you.
  • Entertainment – recommendations of good local music/theatre/comedy on throughout the Island
  • Information about what’s on in our cultural institutions, churches etc

If you would like your business or organisation to feature in the campaign, you need to be in the campaign toolkit. Read more about campaign toolkits here. 

May to July 2017
FESTIVAL OF THE SEA – Celebrating our maritime connections (Late June to Early July)
This is a campaign to attract families, couples, groups and friends and relatives during the Festival of the Sea (final dates TBC) period. Highlights include maritime attractions, food and drink, live entertainment, Shipwreck Isle (2nd July) and the Round the Island Yacht (1st July) race.

What are we looking for?

  • Anything you’re doing that is maritime related
  • Restaurants/cafes/pubs serving seafood including special dining experiences relating to seafood
  • Coastal walks and talks
  • Information about early openings/viewpoints for Round the Island Race
  • Information about Pirate events that we can tie into Shipwreck Isle
  • Accommodation events/offers to entice groups of people to come to the Island in the period.
  • Entertainment – where can visitors listen to sea shanties or enjoy live entertainment by the sea?
  • Sailing/water-sports – any other sailing events or water-sports on in the period

Please send in high quality photos with your information.

If you would like your business or organisation to feature in the campaign, you need to be in the campaign toolkit. Read more about campaign toolkits here. 

June onwards 2017
ISLE OF WIGHT LITERARY HEROES TRAIL – New Island wide trail for short breaks and day trips 
In conjunction with Visit Britain’s Year of Literary Heroes, a new Island wide trail that features the literary heritage of the Isle of Wight. Press trips and PR, editorial, webspace, social media, bloggers, new trail leaflet (like Warrior 2015 and Churchill 2016). Showcases cultural events including literary festival and Ventnor fringe.

If you would like your business or organisation to feature in the campaign, you need to be in the campaign toolkit. Read more about campaign toolkits here. 

July to December 2017
Victoria & Abdul (Universal Pictures) and new Victoria’s Island Trail
A press office, social media and website campaign showcasing the Island’s connections with India, from Victoria’s durbar room, to Julia Margaret Cameron’s Dimbola connections. Highlights include the Diwali festival of light at Robin Hill in October, and the launch of the new Working title movie Victoria and Abdul, filmed partially at Osborne.

The UK is already a big hit with Indian tourists. Last year saw a record breaking 400,000 visits to the UK from India and in the first half of 2015 Indian tourists spent £199 million during their stays.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-announces-2017-uk-india-year-of-culture

If you would like your business or organisation to feature in the campaign, you need to be in the campaign toolkit. Read more about campaign toolkits here. 

July – October 2017
ISLE OF LIGHT 2017 – October breaks, half term and Halloween
Focusing on the last light of summer, longer warmer evenings, illuminations, fireworks, candlelit dining, indoor attractions and outdoor pursuits. Social media, radio, press and digital advertising to attract couples and families to the Island for the October to early November period.

If you would like your business or organisation to feature in the campaign, you need to be in the campaign toolkit. Read more about campaign toolkits here. 

Our 5 cluster campaigns for the WIGHT BID year (Sept 16 to Aug 17) are:

January onwards
WEDDINGS & CELEBRATION VENUES
Website, press visits, editorial, bloggers, competitions, social media, video.

Throughout the year
GROUPS AND TOURS WELCOME
Trade missions, trade gateway, packages, third party partnerships, offers, specialist press, travel trade exhibitions, competitions, newsletters and direct marketing. Overseas, educational, youth and specialist groups and organisations.

From April onwards
BLUE SKY SPACE
Promoting the Island as an inspirational corporate escape for think tanks, team building and blue sky thinking. Activities and corporate facilities, wellness, restaurants and places to stay. Digital media, press trips, articles and features, social media, e-marketing and advertorials.

From April onwards
FOLLOW THE LOCALS
Promoting pubs and Ale houses off the beaten track, down in the bay, or hidden in the back of town. Characterful pubs and village inns with local colour. Digital, press, trails, guides, compeitions, social media, on-island advertising, gateway advertising.

From May onwards
DISCOVER FERRIES – NATIONAL PROMOTION
Participation in the national ferry promotions in conjunction with other ferry operators in the national press, social media, competitions and advertorials. Packages and promotions.

In 2017 we will promote all events and festivals, but we will give extra attention to promoting the following shoulder-period events, which we believe have the potential to attract larger numbers of off-Island visitors over the coming years. These events help to bring visitors during shoulder periods when holiday makers cannot always come.

ATTRACT EVENTS & FESTIVAL LIST

Electric Woods February – Chinese New Year (February)
IsleWalk17 – The new Isle of Wight Walking festival (April – May)
Isle of Wight Running festival (June)
Island Carnivals (Various throughout the year)
Yarmouth Old Gaffers festival (June)
Isle of Wight festival (June)
Shipwreck Isle Pirate Festival (Early July)
IW Steam Railway 1940’s weekend (Early July)
Classic Car Weekends (Various)
Isle of Wight Day (September)
New Cycling festival (September)
New Bird Weekends (September – October)
Beer, Bus and Walking Weekend (October)
IOW Literary Festival (October)
Electric Woods – Festival of Light (October)

And the following peak season festivals and events:

Ventnor Fringe (August)
Cowes Week (August)
Scooter Rally (August)
VDUB Festival (August)
Jack up the 80’s (August)
Garlic Festival (August)