INTEGRATED

MARKETING
COMMUNICATIONS
PLAN
Luxury Escapes

Vanisha Saini - s4004805

Wen-Chi Yu - s3922264

Vu Hien - s3994564

Emmie Phillips - s4001510

Julia Alexeyeff - s3931566

1
Executive Summary
Luxury Escapes endeavors to target a younger audience of consumers aged 18 to 30 years,
who seek travel experiences and services independent of their parents. Given their lack of
awareness of Luxury Escapes, the brand intends to build a campaign that sheds a positive
light to its overall image and ultimately achieves brand equity. The key marketing and
communication objectives set involve building the prospective consumers’ awareness of
Luxury Escapes and its brand perception of affordable, fun and culture-focused, that will likely
meet the marketing objectives of driving bookings and increasing sales revenue by 15
percent.

The IMC plan dives into the need to establish what Luxury Escapes truly values in travel
experiences that will attend to the travel needs of young individuals. Through thorough
demographic and psychological research, it is confirmed that young individuals hold a high
regard for cultural and memorable travel experiences. They seek travel as a way of learning
and immersion of oneself in different cultural experiences, rather than focusing on the
tangible aspects of travelling, such as accommodation (Ghete 2015). Intrinsically, deeply
understanding the target audience suggests Luxury Escapes must transform their current
perceived brand personality of ‘conservative’ and ‘lacking excitement’ to one that is
acknowledged as fun, exciting and adventurous (Ghete 2015; Business Wire 2019).
Accordingly, Luxury Escapes must redefine their meaning of ‘luxury’ to being rich in culturally
diverse life experiences, rather than focusing on a five-star lifestyle (Ghete 2015).

By understanding the target consumers’ travel needs and attitudes and innovating a new
brand personality of adventurous, the campaign idea was created and rigorously planned.
The campaign, #CulturalCompass, will employ numerous exposure points to reach a
significant volume of the prospective target audience. The manipulation of traditional and new
media channels chosen for Luxury Escapes’ campaign includes the following: television
commercials, billboard advertisements, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Furthermore,
alternative yet key IMC activities include Event Sponsorship, Cause-Related Marketing and
Corporate Image Advertising. These channels evidently reach a significant level of
consumers nationally and acquire strong user and exposure rates from young individuals
(Media Exchange n.d.; Zekiri 2019; Healy 2024; Kemp 2024). Thereby, the IMC plan created
will likely guide Luxury Escapes to target its new prospective consumers and ultimately
achieve both its marketing and communication objectives.
Current Situation Analysis
BACKGROUND & RESEARCH
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Personalized offerings based on • Relatively small commission margins
customer data and preferences. compared to other industries.

• Innovative business model (flash • Potential challenges in adapting to

sales, marketplace platform) and the unique preferences of younger
product offerings. travellers (e.g. focus on sustainability,
authentic, cultural experiences).
• Flash Sales: Luxury Escapes offers
deeply discounted luxury travel deals • Many negative customer reviews,
for a limited time, allowing the downgrading Luxury Escapes’
company to maintain a small reputation.
commission margin while providing
exclusive offers.

• During the COVID pandemic, Luxury

Escapes pivoted to marketplace
platform

• Strong brand reputation and

customer satisfaction.

• Data-driven and technology-focused

approach (personalization, trip
planning tools).

• Luxury Escapes collects and

analyses customer data to
understand individual preferences
and tailor their offerings accordingly.

• Personalised recommendations,
deals, and travel experiences that
align with each customer's interests
 and behaviours.

• Developed a market-leading trip

planning tool that allows customers to
plan and book their entire luxury
travel experience seamlessly.

• Implemented data-driven strategies,

such as leveraging Unified ID 2.0 for
targeted advertising.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
• Having a physical retail presence. • Competition from established online
travel agencies and emerging
• Expanding into new markets and
players, including Airbnb, Expedia
geographies.
and Bookin.com.
• Further development of end-to-end
• Potential disruptions in the travel
travel planning and booking
industry (e.g. pandemics, economic
capabilities to ensure a seamless
downturns), this has the prospect of
travel experience.
impacting the demand for services.
• Leveraging data and technology for
• Increased demand for metasearch
enhanced personalisation and
sites, threatening OTA growth.
targeting.

• Capitalising on the trend of increased • Changing consumer preferences and

travel trends, especially among
demand for travel packages and
younger generations (e.g focus on
visiting friends and family post-
sustainability and authentic
COVID.
experiences).
• Catering to the growing demand for
• Difficulty capturing the attention and
sustainable and eco-friendly travel
loyalty of younger travellers
options, especially among younger
influenced by social media,
generations.
influencers, and online reviews.
• Appealing to the desire for authentic
• A challenge to capture the attention
cultural experiences and adventure
and loyalty of younger travellers, who
among younger travellers.
are heavily influenced by social
 • Potential for a significant growth in media, influencers and online
commission fees. reviews.

• Inflow of a variety of travellers to

Australia.

Table 1: SWOT Analysis

Strengths
Personalised Offerings and Innovative Business Model: Luxury Escapes uses customer
data to offer personalised travel deals, enhanced by a flash sales model and a marketplace
platform (Salesforce n.d). Flash sales provide discounted luxury deals while maintaining
margins, while the marketplace broadens offerings beyond hotels, such as expanding the
product range and offering diverse travel experiences (JARRETT - WIT 2023 & A TDM
Podcast 2022).

Data-driven and Technology-focused Approach: Luxury Escapes thrives on its data-

driven, tech-savvy approach. By analysing customer data, they offer personalised
recommendations and seamless booking experiences. Their cutting-edge trip planning tool
integrates data for custom itineraries and supplier integration. Moreover, implementing
strategies, such as Unified ID 2.0 for targeted advertising, has significantly boosted
conversion rates and return on ad spend, showcasing their expertise in optimising
performance through innovative technology (The Trade Desk 2023).

Weaknesses
Reliance on partnerships with hospitality providers: Luxury Escapes relies heavily on
partnerships with hotels, resorts, and other hospitality providers to source their exclusive
travel deals (JARRETT - WIT 2023 & A TDM Podcast 2022). Any disruptions or conflicts with
these partners could significantly impact their ability to curate attractive offerings for their
members.

Continuous Customer Service Enhancement: While sporadic instances of subpar

customer service handling highlight the necessity for ongoing improvements in
communication and service quality (Tripadvisor n.d), Luxury Escapes sustains a robust brand
reputation and maintains high overall customer satisfaction. Despite intermittent negative
reviews and complaints, the company remains committed to enhancing its customer service
experience (FireAndFey 2022).

Flash Sale Model Pitfalls: Luxury Escapes heavily relies on inducing the fear of missing out
(FOMO) through time-limited flash sales, offering discounted luxury travel packages. Whilst
effective for rapid growth, this approach poses long-term challenges, like transactional
customer relationships and margin erosion. The CEO's recognition of the need for evolution
beyond deals signals a shift in focus. Continued reliance on this strategy risks hindering
brand loyalty and competitiveness in the travel industry (Samadi 2018).

Opportunities
Expansion into new markets and geographies: Luxury Escapes has seen rapid growth in
Australia and parts of Asia, but there is an opportunity to further expand internationally into
new markets and regions. With a strong brand and innovative flash sale model, they can tap
into the growing demand for luxury travel experiences globally (Salesforce n.d).

Enhanced personalization and targeting: Luxury Escapes recognises the importance of

personalisation, with the CEO stating they want to leverage its data (Salesforce n.d). Their
adoption of Salesforce tools, such as the Marketing Cloud and Einstein, presents an
opportunity to further enhance personalisation through data-driven insights and targeted
marketing based on customer preferences and behaviour (Clarke & Keller n.d.).

Threats
Competition from established online travel agencies: While Luxury Escapes has
disrupted the online travel market, it faces competition from well-established online travel
agencies (OTAs) like Expedia and Booking.com. There is also a threat from new entrants and
startups that may replicate Luxury Escapes' flash sale model or introduce innovative new
offerings (A TDM Podcast 2022).

Changing consumer preferences and travel trends: The rise of social media influencers is
reshaping travel trends, particularly among younger demographics, making influencer
marketing crucial for Luxury Escapes to remain competitive (Johnson 2019). Ignoring
sustainability concerns and failing to promote eco-tourism could alienate environmentally
conscious travellers, impacting brand relevance. Moreover, with travellers increasingly
prioritising experience-driven travel, Luxury Escapes must expand its offerings to include
curated experiences and activities to meet this demand. (The Future Laboratory 2024)

MARKETING PROBLEM OR OPPORTUNITY

Luxury Escapes’ main objective is to resolve the issue concerning the lack of communication
directed to the younger generation, particularly those aged 18 to 30 years. In addition to
targeting this new prospective cohort, Luxury Escapes aims to maintain its relationships with
its current and loyal cohort, aged between 45 to 65 years. The brand intends to engage with
the market opportunity of catering to the growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly
travel options. Furthermore, Luxury Escapes must build its brand messaging around
authentic, cultural experiences and adventure that is deemed affordable. By increasing its
marketing efforts to target the younger generation, Luxury Escapes can build on the
opportunity to increase its customer base and consequently drive bookings. To achieve its
marketing and communication objectives, Luxury Escapes are advised to alter its current
marketing, which includes a specific focus on ‘Place’ and ‘Promotion’.

Currently, Luxury Escapes heavily uses social media platforms, including Instagram, where
they predominantly create brand content through Instagram Reels (Instagram 2024). A
YouTube channel, which involves creating visually appealing content on ‘YouTube Shorts’
videos, podcasts and videos of destination spotlights (YouTube n.d.) is also greatly used to
market luxury travel offerings and holiday destinations. Additionally, Luxury Escapes
advertises on TikTok, showcasing luxury travel destinations, and Facebook, where they
promote their online booking service and travel locations through posts. Luxury Escapes also
utilises its own mobile app to promote its brand and product offerings, as well as providing
convenience for consumers (Luxury Escapes 2024).

To better communicate and capture the attention of the younger generation, there must be a
strong focus on social media advertising due to their heavy usage rates (Meltwater 2024).
Additionally, to significantly boost brand awareness and captivate the attention of a new
target audience, Luxury Escapes must advertise through traditional channels with extensive
reach. This includes broadcasting television commercials and billboard advertising, which
have the potential to alter current brand perceptions and build a brand personality of fun,
adventure and culture. Contrary to televisions and billboards, print media channels, including
newspapers, acquired a significantly low value of 3% of young Australians using this type of
media (ACMA 2022). Indeed, this media channel deems ineffective for Luxury Escapes’
interest in targeting 18-30-year-olds.

In final, if Luxury Escapes convey the right brand messaging to effective media channels that
appeal to the younger audience, the campaign will likely increase its customer base and
further drive travel bookings- successfully remaining competitive in a concentrated industry
(Fahey 2023).
Key Strategic Decisions
MARKETING OBJECTIVES
 To increase the proportion of customer base aged 18-30 years from 15% to 30% by
the end of the next 6 months.

 To drive bookings to increase sales revenue by 15% in the next 6 months.

 To maintain current levels of profitability at or above 19% for the next 6 months.

COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES
 To increase brand awareness amongst the target audience to 50% by the end of the
next 6 months.

 By the end of the campaign period (6 months), motivate 30% of the target audience
that the best travel experience doesn’t need to cost a fortune.

POSITIONING
Consumers within the online travel industry are price-sensitive to travel due to the high level
of competitiveness (Fahey 2023). Therefore, Luxury Escapes’ motive to appeal to a younger
audience of 18-30 years of age must reposition themselves as providing services that are
good value for money compared to a higher standard of quality (Brunback and de Guzman
2017). The positioning statement should place more significance on “memorable travel
experiences”, rather than “luxury”, as the prospective target audience prefers immersion of
cultural experiences rather than living a five-star lifestyle (Ghete 2015). This is supported by
McKercher (2023), where the idea of interactions and socialising in new cultures is more
important to the younger generation compared to the older. Intrinsically, by providing a clear
brand positioning statement, Luxury Escapes must clearly identify the target audience and
reiterate its competitive advantage of providing memorable travel experiences at an
affordable price, rather than prioritising a luxurious quality.
CAMPAIGN TARGET AUDIENCE
The primary target audience determined for Luxury Escapes Inc is the ‘Young Adventurer’
who ambitiously hunts for culturally diverse and eco-friendly experiences that are accessible
and affordable. Although their loyalty behaviour is categorised as ‘Other Brands Switchers’
(RMIT Creds, 2024) this segment can yield high benefits for the business with the
implementation of suitable marketing strategies.

Key drivers for youth tourism include their ‘desire for authentic cultural experiences’
(Loncaric, 2019) complimented by their attentiveness to environmental and social issues
(Corbisiero, 2022). Going beyond what the product can offer this segment, it is integral that
Luxury Escapes makes the connection between product attributes to consumer
consequences and furthermore their personal values (Reynolds and Gutman, 1984).
Although this segment is currently unaware of the brand, highlighting the key benefits of
choosing Luxury Escapes to guide them through the often-intimidating process of securing
travel plans is integral in achieving their stipulated marketing objectives.

An analysis of the demographic, geographic and psychographic characteristics highlights

their ambition to be always searching for something new and different, seeking knowledge,
training and education through lived experiences. While they are still young, the target
audience wants to be able to try everything and adopts the work hard play hard mentality,
with little regard for future long-term planning (see appendix A).

CAMPAIGN BUDGET
The campaign budget will be determined using the objective-and-task method, which is
known for being the most plausible budgeting method. It focuses on the marketing and
communication objectives set by Luxury Escapes and further assesses the final budget
based on the marketing communications functions. Luxury Escapes informs consumers of
their brand and builds a positive brand image to achieve the marketing and communication
objectives set (Luck et al. 2020).

To determine the campaign budget, the following three factors must be considered: The
Communication Objectives; Competitor’s Advertising Activity; and Funds Available.
Regarding ‘Competitor’s Advertising Activities’, the relationship of ‘share-of-voice’ and ‘share-
of-market’ must be reviewed within the IMC plan (Luck et al. 2020). Luxury Escapes intends
to increase sales by 15%, therefore, an appropriate amount of the $300,000 campaign
expenditure must occur to increase market share value.

BRAND PERSONALITY
Firstly, to raise brand awareness of the prospective market and appeal to their needs, Luxury
Escapes must clearly define what luxury refers to in their service offerings. Although the
perception of luxury is multidimensional (Brunback and de Guzman 2017), individuals within
the same age bracket share similar values and behaviours with regard to travelling
(McKercher 2023). In the minds of young tourists, travel is a way of learning, immersing
oneself in new cultural experiences, meeting new people and enhancing one’s self-
development. Additionally, young travellers are known to be adventurous thrill-seekers
(Ghete 2015). Thus, Luxury Escapes’ brand personality must align with what young
individuals value with travelling and appeal to their adventurous travel needs (Business Wire
2019).

Furthermore, young consumers who are aware of Luxury Escapes currently perceive the
brand as lacking excitement and adventure. This alludes to the notion that the prospective
market acquires differing values for travelling compared to the current audience of 45-65-
year-olds. Thus, within the integrated marketing communications [IMC] plan, Luxury Escapes
must focus on altering its current perception to one that ignites excitement, fun and adventure
(Ghete 2015). Additionally, the IMC plan must remain consistent with Luxury Escapes’
current personality of being “a trusted curator that offers value”. However, the concept of
value must represent the prospective audience’s desires and needs when booking travel.
Therefore, as IMC adheres to delivering consistent brand messages that are relevant to the
target audience’s functional and symbolic needs (Luck et al. 2020), Luxury Escapes must
consistently communicate their passion for excitement and adventure.

With reference to the Brand Personality Framework, five dimensions are determined to
understand the overall personality of a brand (Paul 2022). As young individuals’ attitudes
toward travelling are referred to as an ‘escape of [their] reality’ (Ghete 2015: 690), Luxury
Escapes must create this portrayal in the minds of the prospective target audience. Thus, it is
suggested the brand builds their personality around the dimension of Excitement, which
creates the idea that brands under this category are courageous and free-spirited (Paul
2022).
Overall, Luxury Escapes’ tone of voice within their communications must remain focused on
creating memorable, cultural experiences and facilitating meeting new people globally
(Lončarić et al. 2019). Further, it is important to leverage the idea of ‘luxury’ within the brand’s
perception and communications, to appeal to both customer bases. Although the notion of
‘luxury travel’ differs in meaning for both cohorts (Brunback and de Guzman 2017), the
campaign will define ‘luxury’ as rich in culturally diverse life experiences and building these
journeys as a way of learning and self-development (Ghete 2015).

Assumptions
The IMC plan has been carefully crafted to ensure resilience and flexibility in the face of
various potential challenges. It is predicated upon assumptions that hinge upon substantial
buy-in and support from Luxury Escapes. These assumptions encompass the stability of the
travel and luxury experiences market, consistent spending and strategies from competitors,
the absence of significant changes in digital regulations, a positive reception from the target
demographic, favourable economic conditions, the lack of unforeseen obstacles in entering
the desired market segments, minimal fluctuations in securing desired advertising slots and
media placements, and a positive impact from selected influencers.
Creative Strategy
CREATIVE IDEA & DETAILED EXPLANATION
Through extensive research of the key drivers of tourism for our target audience, we have
created a creative campaign that redefines ‘luxury’ and works to build extensive brand
awareness. Leveraging young adults' desire for new and exciting cultural experiences will be
the touchpoint for all media channels under this creative idea to achieve the marketing and
communication objectives. Showcasing imagery from various adventures around the world in
a format that mimics ‘The Portal’ (Flatiron Nomad, 2024) in New York City and Dublin, will
aim to spark curiosity within this audience segment. As proclaimed in Rossiter and Bellman’s
(2005) remote conveyor theory, users will seek to satisfy their curiosity by attempting to
identify the key benefit claim (KBC). The KBC is implicitly represented as we shift the focus
from making a booking to evoking a strong feeling of adventure and excitement amongst
consumers interacting with the advertising materials. Symbolic, or experiential, strategy
(RMIT creds, 2024) is used here to develop a strong and unique brand image that positions
Luxury Escapes as a strong market player amongst this highly competitive market.

To command the attention of this younger demographic, we have manipulated forms of

traditional media to spark conversation and create two-way communication that is often not
available for this media channel. Billboards will be located throughout Australia’s major cities
displaying locals from various locations globally including; ; Holi Festival in India, Running of
the Bulls in Spain and Oktoberfest in Germany, in a live stream format. Through a hidden
camera and speaker, they will be able to see consumers walking past the billboard and
interact with them at their designated location. Hypothetically, individuals will be caught off
guard by this advertising and it is these very reactions that will provide content for the three
other forms of both traditional and digital media.

The campaign is centered around the use of the hashtag #culturalcompass to function as
both the primary motif within this strategy and as added user-generated content for social
media channels (Rajamma et al. 2020). In this way, the brand will guide users through the
often-tedious research task of the travel industry by providing them with authentic cultural
experiences that are both affordable yet rich in adventure. The hedonic appeal (RMIT creds,
2024) of this campaign will satisfy consumers pleasure seeking needs whilst prompting them
to engage with Luxury Escapes.
MOCK-UPS
Traditional Media: Billboards

Figure 1: Billboard mockup

Traditional Media: TV Ad

1
Figure 2: TV Ad Storyboard
New Media: YouTube
Figure 3: YouTube Storyboard
New Media: Meta Social Media Platforms - Instagram and Facebook

Figure 4:Instagram & Facebook post examples.

1
Media Strategy
JUSTIFICATION OF MEDIA
Traditional Media: Billboard
The communication objective of increasing brand awareness among the new prospective
audience by 30% in the next six months highlights the need for a channel with high reach.
Intrinsically, billboards are a strategic channel due to their tactical geographic location, where
there are high foot-traffic levels of the proposed target audience (Zekiri 2019). Additionally,
Luxury Escapes’ billboard advertisements allow for total control over its marketing
communications (Luck et al. 2020), as well as other key strategic benefits, proving to drive
sales (Shanmugathas 2018). This compliments Luxury Escapes’ marketing objective of
driving bookings and increasing sales revenue by 15%.

Billboards allow brands to draw the target consumers’ specific attention to their key brand
messages, where there is no time limitation for exposure (Shanmugathas 2018). As this
channel permits brands to have total control over their marketing communications (Luck et al.
2020), as well as other various strategic benefits, billboards have proven to drive sales
(Shanmugathas 2018).

The proposed target segment predominantly lives in Australia’s major cities due to migrating
for career and education purposes (ABS 2022). Intrinsically, Australians located in cities are
more likely to be exposed to billboard advertising compared to regional residents (59% and
40%, respectively). Further, almost 76% of Australians aged 14 years and above are
exposed to a form of billboard advertisement on an average week (Roy Morgan 2019).

Traditional Media: Television Commercial

Television is an appropriate media channel for Luxury Escapes to employ due to its
significant advantage of accelerated reach and scale level compared to other channels of
traditional media, such as magazines (Free TV Australia 2024). With Luxury Escapes’
marketing objective of doubling the proportion of 18-30-year-old customers, it is essential for
its advertising efforts to reach a large audience to convey its key brand messages. On
average, Australian’s watch approximately 2 hours and 24 minutes of television a day (Media
Exchange n.d.)- alluding to the high level of reach to both current and prospective customers
of Luxury Escapes, see figure 5 (Social Research Centre 2021).
Figure 5: Social Research, 2021

Additionally, television provides greater flexibility for creativity through numerous cues, such
as sound, imagery, colour and motion, compared to other channels, like radio (Bruce et al.
2020). Further to high levels of creativity, Luxury Escapes can visualise their personality
through a television commercial, showcasing their competitive advantage and draw
consumers to book through their website (Direct Media 2024). Finally, by providing a visual of
Luxury Escapes’ logo and website, consumers create an emotional bond to the brand’s
identity through captivating marketing communications (Cheinman 2024).

New Media: Meta Social Media Platforms - Instagram and Facebook

Illustrated by Song et al. (2021), electronic word-of-mouth and personal communication
methods are increasing in popularity amongst young individuals’ purchasing power decisions
with travel. Therefore, leveraging Luxury Escapes’ campaign on Meta social media platforms
offers brands to intimately connect with its customers through a two-way communication
method and reach, in which the younger cohort evidently use for influence (Zollo et al. 2020).

The data collected by Healy (2024) affirms Facebook’s and Instagram’s superiority in social
media platforms, totaling a significant 78.2% and 69.9% of Australian users, respectively (see
graph #). Despite TikTok’s accelerated growth in recent years (SMPerth 2024), Facebook
and Instagram remain to accrue the largest audiences (Healy 2024). Evidently, to captivate
and sway consumers aged between 18-30-years, whilst upholding loyalty from its current
customer base, Luxury Escapes must choose social media platforms with the highest
engagement and concentration levels.
Furthermore, Luxury Escapes’ prospective target segment remains the largest cohort to
engage with advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, see figure 7 (Healy 2024). This
allows Luxury Escapes’ advertising campaign to expose a greater level of its target audience
and strategically captivate and influence them to perceive the brand as adventurous and
affordable.

Figure 6: Most used social media platforms (Healy, 2024)

Figure 7: Demographic Profile of Meta’s Ad Audience (Healy, 2024)

New Media: YouTube

YouTube has many strategic advertising benefits that will compliment Luxury Escapes’
promising new market opportunity to appeal to younger consumers (New Path Digital 2023).
Since the beginning of 2024, there has been a total of 20.8 million YouTube users in Australia
(Kemp 2024). Suggesting its phenomenal ability to reach on a global scale, YouTube
provides brands with the ability to intimately connect with its customers and offers advanced
targeting options (New Path Digital 2023). Leveraging promotional activities on YouTube is a
highly effective way to reach the new target audience of 18-30-year-olds, given them being
the largest age demographic to use YouTube in Australia (30.92% in age bracket 18-24; and
34.33% in age bracket 25-34), see figure 8 (Hughes 2023).

Figure 8: Breakdown of YouTube users by age & gender in Australia 2022 (Hughes 2023).

MEDIA OBJECTIVES
Given the mentioned media channels compliment the usage rates of Luxury Escapes’
prospective target audience (Luck et al. 2020), the following media objectives are:

Traditional Media:
 To achieve 50% brand recognition among people aged 18-30 years by weekly
exposure within three-month intervals of #CultureCompass.
  To assure 30% of the target audience that Luxury Escapes values travel as building
cultural experiences worldwide, in the next six months.

New Media:
 To reach 50% of the target audience on social media and engage with
#CulturalCompass through a continuous schedule of weekly campaign advertisements
and user-generated content.

The media objectives focus on the recency principle, alluding to the fact that the first
exposure is foremost and weekly reach is paramount compared to high frequency rates.
Further, the effective rating points will guide Luxury Escapes’ media objectives to ensure the
#CulturalCompass campaign is reaching and influencing a sufficient volume of the target
audience. This will ensure Luxury Escapes’ media objectives can be met within the campaign
(Luck et al. 2020).
MEDIA SCHEDULE
Social Media Content Calendar

Figure 9: Draft of prospective social media content calendar.

Other IMC Activities
SPONSORSHIP MARKETING
Luxury Escapes should implement Sponsorship marketing, specifically event sponsorship, to
captivate the attention of young adults. Luxury Escapes should establish event sponsorship
through partnering with the Australian Football League (AFL). Many young people follow the
AFL and attend large stadiums to watch the matches. According to Statista (2020),
individuals attending the AFL matches were predominantly 35 years and under. Furthermore,
it was estimated that 819,000 attendees were from this age group in the 2020 season
(Statista 2020). This highly advocates Luxury Escapes to integrate its marketing
communications within AFL stadiums nationally through event sponsorship. This has a strong
potential for a significant reach to the prospective audience and increased advertising
frequency during the season. By employing a communication channel with effective reach
(Statista 2020), Luxury Escapes is likely to meet its communication objectives of increasing
brand awareness and ultimately, brand equity. If Luxury Escapes can secure brand equity
amongst younger consumers, its marketing objectives of driving bookings and increasing
sales revenue will likely eventuate.

CAUSE-RELATED MARKETING
Luxury Escapes should cooperate with Greenpeace Australia Pacific to advocate for
sustainable tourism and environmental awareness among young consumers. By aligning with
Greenpeace, Luxury Escapes can bolster its brand image and credibility as a sustainable
travel company, appealing to the values of ethically minded consumers (Hunt 2024). This
collaboration grants Luxury Escapes access to Greenpeace's extensive network of
environmentally conscious supporters, particularly affluent individuals seeking eco-friendly
travel experiences. Emphasising sustainable tourism allows Luxury Escapes to stand out in
the competitive online travel bookings market and attract environmentally conscious
consumers. Through exclusive eco-tourism packages, Luxury Escapes can generate revenue
and cultivate long-term loyalty among satisfied customers who prioritise sustainability
(Greenpeace n.d.). By leveraging Greenpeace's credibility and tapping into the growing
demand for sustainable travel among young consumers (Corbisiero et al. 2022), Luxury
Escapes can gain an enhanced brand reputation, access to a valuable target market,
differentiation from competitors, and increased revenue from customer loyalty.
CORPORATE IMAGE ADVERTISING
Luxury Escapes should employ Corporate Image Advertising through partnering with World
Vision- potentially captivating the attention of young adults. World Vision is an International
non-government organisation that hopes to give children an opportunity to have a better
quality of life. Their services include providing humanitarian assistance, food support and
access to clean and safe drinking water (World Vision n.d.). By partnering with World Vision,
the younger generation may perceive Luxury Escapes as a compassionate and authentic
company that seeks to promote good humanitarian practices. Therefore, Luxury Escapes’
brand reputation and overall awareness will likely enhance, enticing younger consumers to
choose to book with them. Indeed, employing additional IMC activities will likely satisfy the
marketing and communication objectives set by Luxury Escapes for its six-month campaign
and ultimately enhance its brand equity in the future.
Evaluation & Control
EVALUATION AND TRACKING TECHNIQUES
Real-Time Monitoring campaign monitoring is not just essential, it's immediate. This allows
for real-time changes to be made, results to be optimised, return-on-investment to be
assessed, and valuable data to be gathered for future campaigns. The metrics to be
monitored and the methods used are designed for instant feedback and adjustment (Luck et
al. 2020).

Brand Awareness
Metrics: 20% increase in brand awareness by the end of the campaign.
Example: If 40% of the target audience recognises the brand before the campaign, the goal
is to reach 60%.

Methods:

 Online surveys: Using Google Surveys and email surveys to registered customers
before and after the campaign to measure the change in brand awareness.

 Brand monitoring: Monitoring of brand mentions on social media and other online
platforms using Brandwatch.

Social Media Engagement

Metrics: In the second month of the campaign, likes, comments, and shares increased by
30%.
Example: If posts currently receive an average of 100 interactions, the goal is to achieve 130
interactions per post.

Methods:

 Social media analysis tools: Hootsuite monitors Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
engagement.

 Platform insights: Analysis of native insights provided by Facebook Insights and

Instagram Insights.

Web Traffic
Metrics: The number of unique visitors increased by 25%, and the bounce rate reduced by
10%.
Example: If the current web traffic is 10,000 unique visitors per month with a bounce rate of
50%, the goal is to reach 12,500 unique visitors and reduce the bounce rate to 45%.

Methods:

 Google Analytics: Monitoring web traffic, analysis of user behaviour, average time on
site and bounce rate.

 Heatmaps: Using Hotjar to visualise user interactions on the website.

Sales
Metrics: There was a 15% increase in sales during the campaign compared to last year.

Example: If current sales are 50,000 units, the goal is to reach 57,500 units.

Methods:

 Analysis of sales reports: Comparison of sales data before and after the campaign.

 CRM: Using Salesforce to track and analyse sales and customer behaviour.

Conversion Rate
Metrics: Increase the conversion rate of leads into customers by 20%.

Example: If the current conversion rate is 5%, the goal is to reach 6%.

Methods:

 CRM: Tracking of generated leads and conversions via Salesforce.

 Landing page analysis: Monitoring landing page conversions via Google Analytics and
A/B testing.
Monitoring Plan

 Frequency:

o Weekly - Monitoring social media engagement and web traffic.

o Monthly - Monitoring of brand awareness and sales.

 Key Role: The data analysis team plays a crucial role in this monitoring plan. They are
responsible for collecting and reporting results, using automated dashboards and
reports to provide regular updates. Their work is instrumental in ensuring the success
of the campaign.

CORRECTIVE ACTION SCENARIO

Potential Scenario
After the first month of the campaign, the social media engagement rate is significantly lower
than expected, with an average of only 50 interactions per post against the target of 130.
However, this presents an opportunity for improvement. Recommended Corrective Action:

1. Content Analysis:

 Checking Tone and Style: Check if the tone of posts is in line with the brand and if
the content is relevant to the target audience. For example, if the tone is too formal, it
could be adapted to a more every day and engaging style.

 Quality of Images and Videos: Ensure that images and videos are high-quality and
engaging. For instance, use high-resolution photos and dynamic videos.

 Relevance of Content: Analyse whether posts deal with topics of interest to the target
audience. For example, if the audience is interested in practical advice, post valuable
and applicable content.

2. A/B Testing:

 Elements to Test: Test different titles, images, call-to-actions and publication times.

 Implementation: Create and publish two versions of each post to see which gets
more engagement. For example, test an informative headline against a provocative
one.

3. Increase Advertising Budget:

  Actions: Increase the advertising budget by 50% to promote posts that performed well
in A/B tests. For example, if a post with a specific title had more interactions, promote
it further.

 Targeting: Use advanced targeting to reach a more expansive but specific audience
—for example, target users with particular interests that match the post's content.

4. Audience Interaction:

 Responding to Comments: Encourage the team to respond to comments promptly

and actively engage with followers. For example, answer questions and thank
commenters.

 Questions and Surveys: Post questions and surveys to stimulate participation and
gather direct feedback. For example, ask users which content they want to see more
of.

5. Content Strategy Review:

 New Topics: Introduce new relevant topics that meet the needs and interests of the
target audience. For example, publish relevant and up-to-date content if the audience
is interested in current trends.

 Post Format: Experiment with different post formats, such as stories, live videos, and
infographics. If live videos get more interactions, increase their frequency.

Implementation of Corrective Action

 Timing: Implement the corrective action immediately after the problem is identified
and monitor the results weekly. For example, if new posts get more engagement,
continue along that line.

 Monitoring: Use social media analysis tools to assess whether the changes improve
engagement. Provide weekly updates to the project team to ensure corrective actions
are working.
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Appendix
APPENDIX A - SEGMENTATION TABLE

Young Adventurer

Segmentation
Sub Variables
Variables

Average Age 22*

% population 18+^ 6.4%^

Family size 1-2^

Demographic Family life cycle Young Independents+

Income (annual) $88,000 -$114,000 *^

Occupation Hospitality, retail and sales workers *^

Education Graduating or studying +

Geographic Region Capital Cities *^+”

Psychographic Socioeconomic 30.3% D, 25.1% E +

Status Mid SES +

Social Values Opportunism, Progressiveness, Self-

Improvement, Material Ambition, Highbrow
Culture, Adventurousness, Social Anxiety *^+”

Interest, attitudes, • To be excited challenged and free to travel.

They want to try everything, adopting the work
and/or opinion
hard play hard mentality while they are young
and have the energy to do it. #

• To enjoy life, have fun and avoid

responsibility. They often adopt short-term
thinking mentality with little responsibility. >

• I have a deep passion for culture ^

• Tend to spend their money on travel “

• Always searching for something new and

different, seeking knowledge, training and
 education through lived experiences. ~

Purchase occasion Sometimes, not considered regular.

Frequency of Occasional, 1-3 times a year.

purchase
User status Light – new (Other Brand Switchers, OBS)

Behavioural Loyalty status Low-none

Attitude toward the Considering how COVID has impacted this

generation’s ability to travel, there can be
product and
feelings of resentment towards this industry. Yet
product category
the overwhelming majority are seeing new
opportunities for adventure in this space.

Key
Symbol
* GeoTribes ‘Twixters’

^ GeoTribes ‘Independants’

+ GeoSmart ‘H25 University Enclaves’

“ GeoSmart ‘B5 Urban Bohemian’

# Roy Morgan Value Segment ‘Young Optimist’

> Roy Morgan Value Segment ‘Look at me’

~ Roy Morgan ‘Socially Aware’