Neil Rodgers, Managing Director, Adventure World
About Adventure World
For nearly 50 years, Adventure World has been curating sustainable trips to the world’s most fascinating regions. The company’s ethos is ‘travel with purpose.’
Managing Director Neil Rodgers explains:
"We create incredible, sustainable experiences that reward both the traveller and the destination."
The challenge: Winning the trust of cultural audiences in a new market
When Adventure World was expanding in New Zealand, success depended on more than increasing brand awareness; they needed to earn the trust of a new audience by establishing an authentic connection.
“Our travellers see the world as a place to explore and learn about different cultures” explains Neil. “You'll find them outdoors on the weekend, or at their local gallery or museum. We needed to find these experiential enthusiasts in their local area."
Neil knew the Museum’s massive capture of travellers, and its trusted reputation, offered a unique platform to bring Adventure World’s story to their target audience:
“Auckland Museum is such an iconic brand itself, so being associated with that gives a level of recognition” says Neil. “Those who engage with their Museum treat it as an endorsement, so we knew that was an important stamp of approval.”
When Neil explored the Museum, the possibilities of Adventure World’s new strategic partnership were plain to see:
“My first impression was just how impressive that building is. There was a vibe of such an inviting hub. There’s people here, there's energy, and we wanted to be part of that.”
The solution: A values-aligned partnership, starting with a trip to Egypt
Adventure World and Auckland Museum’s strategic partnership began by co-presenting the successful exhibition ‘Egypt: In the Time of Pharaohs’. The show captivated over 130,000 visitors, engaging them with Adventure World’s brand through events and experiences that built trust and interest.
Adventure World branding was integrated across all exhibition touchpoints and promotions, both onsite and online, delivering incredible brand exposure. The sponsorship also featured corporate hospitality events and expert talks, and a popular co-branded competition to ‘Win a trip to Egypt’.
The main idea behind the sponsorship was “See it Here. Do it There." This connected exhibition artefacts with the travel experiences offered by Adventure World, encouraging visitors to turn inspiration into action. Neil explains:
“You can go, ‘I've seen the pyramids of Giza at the Museum, and now, here’s how I can go and see it in real life’. So the product placement also supported the exhibitions, and this worked exceptionally well for both of us.”
The results: Unbeatable brand exposure, boosting sales and subscribers
Adventure World saw sales increase by 35% to 40% above the previous year for the destinations and products promoted at the exhibition. The company also added 15-20,000 new subscribers to their database. Neil says:
“It really delivered in commercial terms. The logo positioning partnership was incredible for our brand recognition.”
The sponsorship generated incredible brand exposure for Adventure World. With a six-month special exhibition like Egypt, brands can enjoy up to ten months of exposure from initial announcement through to the doors finally closing.
“It was such saturation,” says Neil. “For brand recognition alone, it was invaluable.”
Giving Museum visitors a way to engage with Adventure World’s travel experiences through a local exhibition impressed the travel industry as new and clever idea. It was also a source of immense personal pride for Neil:
“When you're at an exhibition you've co-partnered, and you have VIP corporate partners there, or your own team, there's such pride in the partnership. You cannot help but feel the joy when you're seeing it through somebody else's eyes.”