Last night, Destination Canada hosted a cocktail party at David Jones’ flagship Elizabeth Street store. Karryon walks the ‘autumnal’ carpet.
Destination Canada has launched a campaign to the theme of a Canadian autumn forest, on the luxurious level seven of David Jones. The installation aims to offer customers an insight into the diverse landscapes, people and narratives woven throughout Canada.
Speaking at the event to MC, Edwina Bartholomew, Julie King, Founder and CEO of Julie King & Associates, and Managing Director of Destination Canada in Australia, emphasised the campaign’s focus on storytelling to illuminate Canada’s unique cultures, landscapes, communities, and adventures during the autumn and winter seasons.
“Over the next four months, we aim to engage a broad audience, leveraging the affinity of David Jones’ loyal customers to inspire exploration of both iconic and off-the-beaten-path regions of Canada during autumn and winter,” stated King.
“Part of what we’re trying to do with Canada now is really trying to expand on the shoulder seasons and really expand seasonality,” said King at the event.
“We already know that Canada is very popular in the summer months. They are very popular for ski in December, January as well. And what we’re trying to do is expand that winter season until the end of March so that we really showcase what Canada has to offer for the whole winter period – not just for ski but also all the the other winter activities as well,” said King.
“And then in autumn is a beautiful time to go to showcase wildlife, the beautiful bold colors, and you all the beautiful landscapes as well – so that whole period of September to November is really stunning across Canada,”
The David Jones initiative commenced in March with the unveiling of three Canada-themed windows along Castlereagh St at the Flagship Sydney store. Destination Canada says that through its omni-channel strategy, the campaign will reach an estimated 5.6 million premium customers, fostering maximum awareness, engagement, and foot traffic both in-store and online.
James Holloman, Chief Marketing Officer for David Jones, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership.
“David Jones has a long history of bringing the best of the world to Australia. From the most sought-after exclusive brands to a celebration of destinations and cultures that inspire experiences like no other. We are delighted to partner with Destination Canada to showcase the captivating allure of the country and provide an engaging experience for our customers”.
At the event on level seven, guests were treated to an exclusive preview of the exhibition before its public opening today.
The showcase is designed to reinforce Canada’s brand positioning as a land of open spaces, open hearts, and open minds, captivating audiences through community-style videos featuring Canadian storytellers, highlighting the country’s diverse provinces and territories.
First Nations tour operator Mike Willie of Sea Wolf Adventures spoke to the crowd and provided insights into the rich indigenous culture and landscapes of British Columbia’s northern Vancouver Island.
Chief Willie spoke of his people’s deep connection to the land and wildlife of the Broughton Archipelago, emphasising the significance of Sea Wolf Adventures in preserving and sharing their heritage with visitors.
“Bringing Mike to Australia to engage with our guests underscores the importance that Canada’s discerning travellers place on connecting deeply with a destination and its people during their travel experiences. This is about the meaningful exchanges that enrich both our guests and the local communities they visit and demonstrating travel’s powerful role in being a catalyst for good, leaving an indelible positive imprint on our world,” said King following the event.
David Jones customers will have the opportunity to indulge in maple-flavoured Canada snow cones while walking through the forest installation over two weekends, scheduled for April 27-28 and May 4-5 from 12pm to 3pm.
The autumn forest immersive experience will be in David Jones Elizabeth Street store until 4 July, 2024.
Destination British Columbia and Air Canada are giving away the trip of a lifetime for four people to travel to Canada with return economy class flights and a $15,000 AUD credit to design a ‘Rainforest to Rockies itinerary.
For more information, visit destinationcanada.com