The
experiential #Stellenblog blogger campaign kicked off with a digital
bang on Monday, 5 May, when the pioneering Stellenbosch American
Express® Wine Routes caused quite a stir on social media networks with
some of the most influential international and national bloggers uncovering and
digitally sharing the secrets and stories of South’s Africa’s oldest and
foremost wine route with the world.
The launch
party was held at Dornier Estate’s regal Homestead, an original Sir Herbert
Baker design, and saw a cool and connected crowd of more than 200 bloggers,
online influencers, Stellenbosch glitterati and local food and wine
personalities blogging, tweeting and Instagramming up a #Stellenblog storm.
This all happened during a homegrown feast of the finest Stellenbosch wines and
food infused with live music entertainment by local musicians such as Gerald
Clark, Schalk Joubert, Henry Steel, Schalk van der Merwe and Luna Paige.
This
unrivalled celebration of all things Stellenbosch saw celebrated icons such as
Kleine Zalze, The House of JC Le Roux, Stellenbosch Vineyards, Tokara, Spier,
Simonsig, Dornier, Majeka House, The Devon Valley Hotel, Oldenburg, Van Ryns,
Warwick Estate, Delheim, Middelvlei and Lanzerac pulling out all the stops.
The
high-ranking international bloggers for #Stellenblog were selected for the
quality of their content, ideal target audiences and social media reach,
representing the wine route’s core international markets: the USA, UK, Germany
and the Netherlands. They include the award-winning Matt Long of the luxury adventure
travel site, Landlopers (www.landlopers.com); Niamh Shields (www.eatlikeagirl.com) who was recently
recognised by The Times magazine as the most influential food blogger in the
UK; Norman Röhlig of I-REF (www.i-ref.de),
one of the most reputable lifestyle websites in Berlin, Germany, and Keith
Jenkins of the opulent Velvet Escape travel blog (www.velvetescape.com).
Prior
to the party, these international bloggers were joined by a trendy troop of
local bloggers and online influencers for an intriguing #Stellenblog Tweet-Up
of discoveries when they were let loose in the oak-lined streets for a
see-sip-and-savour of the Stellenbosch Way of Life. This sensory meander
included stopovers at Bartinney Wine & Champagne Bar, Brampton Wine Studio,
the SMAC Art Gallery and the 5-star Coopmanhuijs Boutique Hotel & Spa
whilst Thrifty sponsored all the transport on the day.
By the 5th of May, the
campaign’s launch day, it had already generated a digital reach of 20 million
opportunities to see (OTS) content generated via Twitter with a reach of 2.1
million accounts. Over 550 pictures have been shared on Instagram.
Hashtracking, a twitter tracking tool, shows more than 23 million OTS and a
reach of 2.7 million Twitter accounts, whilst the global online tracking agency
Brandseye, shows a slightly higher OTS because they also monitor Facebook.
The
rest of the #Stellenblog week comprises an itinerary of bucket-list activities hosted in
and around Stellenbosch by locals in the know, with the bloggers immersing
themselves as digital ambassadors to
peel away the layers of Stellenbosch and share their first hand experiences
with the world.
This
week-long digital exploration of the beauty and bounty of the region, forms
part of the wine route’s year-long Stellenbosch Experience wine tourism
marketing campaign, which was initiated in conjunction with Stellenbosch 360,
to showcase the region’s authentic, multifaceted and must-experience wine
tourism offerings on a global scale.
“The
web and social media have levelled the playing field somewhat, making it
possible for destinations like Stellenbosch to take advantage of new trends and
use digital marketing to inspire travellers to visit,” shares Mariette du
Toit-Helmbold, former CEO of Cape Town Tourism and owner of Destinate, an
international tourism marketing agency and the driving force behind the Stellenbosch
Experience campaign. “Word of mouth through social media is now the most
powerful tool for any destination marketer today and we are tapping into local
pride using citizens and bloggers to share Stellenbosch’s story with the world,”
she added.
#Stellenblog
is hosted and digitally monitored in association with iAmbassador – renowned
for successful blogging campaigns like #Blogville in Emilia Romagna, Italy. This online initiative is
also supported by South African Tourism and is aligned with its
#MeetSouthAfrica and Indaba 2014 programmes, which will see a number of top
international bloggers visit South Africa, and especially Durban from 10-12
May.
The
international #Stellenblog bloggers were flown to South Africa courtesy of South
African Airways and connectivity was provided by Afrihost. Pick ‘n Pay, another
campaign partner, has stocked the Homestead, home to the bloggers for the week,
with typical South African food and snacks.
For
more information on the Stellenbosch Experience and #Stellenblog
campaigns visit StellenBlog at http://blog.wineroute.co.za/ or contact Mariette
du Toit-Helmbold at experience@wineroute.co.za or phone 083 225
5955.