South African Tourism launches ‘Beat Your Bucket List’ campaign via Cummins&Partners

As Australians have spent almost two years dreaming about and anticipating their next big holiday, South African Tourism is inspiring Australians to take travel opportunities when they can with its newest campaign – Beat Your Bucket List, developed by Cummins&Partners.

Prior to the pandemic, people felt like they had an infinite amount of time to tick off their dream bucket list destinations and experiences without interruption.  The unexpected lockdown periods and international border closures has caused people to truly face life head-on and value their freedoms, motivating them to do the things they’ve always wanted to do in life.

It’s created an environment where people have become keenly aware that something entirely unexpected can happen in their lifetimes, and they’re unlikely to take life and its opportunities for granted again. In fact, three in four Australians intend to make their next trip their greatest with the emergence of revenge travel and a new ‘no regrets’ style of travel this year.[1]

Inspired by the nation’s new lease on life after losing their freedoms throughout the pandemic, South African Tourism’s new campaign taps into this sense of urgency drummed up over the last two years to not put life on hold any longer and make up for lost time. Emulating the beating of an African drum, the campaign is calling on Aussies to ‘Beat Your Bucket List’ before life and its unexpected eventualities allow it to beat you.

When it comes to conquering a bucket list, South Africa is the best destination to live out this dream with an African wildlife safari the quintessential experience at the top of many people’s bucket lists. South Africa also boasts a range of other bucket list-worthy experiences from taking on the world’s highest bridge bungee jump at Bloukrans, to taking part in Rhino ear-notching to protect an endangered species or snorkelling among thousands of wild Cape Fur Seals.

Launched on Monday 21 February, the campaign is giving Australians the exciting opportunity to beat their bucket lists and is set to explore a range of South African destinations and experiences, with an all-expenses paid trip to one of the world’s most extraordinary regions on offer for one winner and a guest.

In lieu of being able to explore South Africa in person over the past two years, keen travellers will be called on to head to Facebook where they will be able to interact with a bespoke range of nine background filters. Users will be encouraged to get creative and put themselves in the place of some of South Africa’s most sought-after bucket list attractions, such as wading among endangered African Penguins at Boulders Beach, stargazing in a certified Dark Sky Sanctuary in the Kalahari Desert, and diving among one of the world’s largest populations of Great White Sharks in Shark Alley.

Entrants can share the image of them beating their bucket list in South Africa across their own Facebook page and story, tagging @southafricantourismAU and #BeatYourBucketList, with the most creative entry winning an all-expenses paid week-long trip for themselves and a guest to South Africa where they will live out the virtual experience in real time.

The lucky winner will not only win the extraordinary African wildlife safari on everyone’s bucket list, where they will come up and close to a lion in the wild and experience a herd of elephant’s brush past their safari vehicle; they will also win the life-affirming experience matched to the filter they use to enter the competition.

Following the relaxation of border closures in South Africa, Australians can now turn their bucket list dreams into a reality.

Mosilo Sofonia, South African Tourism Hub head of Australasia, says the new campaign is encouraging Australians to seize the opportunity to explore South Africa now it is ready to welcome back travellers: “With South Africa’s borders being open and entry requirements for visitors relaxed, we want to entice future travellers to choose South Africa when booking their next destination holiday. It’s been an incredibly challenging few years and Australians have waited a long time to return to international travel. Across the nation, stringent COVID-19 hygiene protocols are being undertaken and implemented by all attractions and establishments as an absolute priority to ensure the health and safety of travellers.”

“South Africa is ready to welcome Australians back with open arms and we hope this campaign entices people to dream big when it comes to their next holiday.”

South African Tourism has created this campaign with the goal of reigniting people’s desire to travel and to wait no longer to check off a bucket list destination for their post-pandemic trip.

The ‘Beat Your Bucket List’ competition can be entered through the South African Tourism Facebook page. Competition T&Cs can be found on the South African Tourism website.

Creative + Media Agency: Cummins & Partners
Production Company: Eric, Tom & Bruce