City of Melbourne has launched a seasonal campaign under its ‘Only in the City’ platform, celebrating the colder months and positioning winter as a time when the city comes alive with grit, drama and romance.
Created by Melbourne independent agency Town Square, the campaign is designed to drive visitation from Victorians, by encouraging them to head to the city for football, festivals like Rising and Firelight, as well as dine, shop, explore galleries and museums, see a show or simply wander, all when the mercury drops.
Built on the insight that winter apathy, rather than dislike, is the biggest barrier to visitation, the campaign reframes the season’s perceived negatives as its greatest strengths. By contrasting stereotypes like cold, dark, grey, dull and moody with vibrant city imagery, the campaign turns barriers into reasons to visit.
Instead of avoiding the weather, ‘Melbourne at its most Melbourne’ celebrates it, demonstrating how the city is all the richer for its extreme conditions. An authentically Melbourne campaign that honours the change of season as a badge of pride.
“As a proudly Melbourne agency we live and breathe city life every day, it’s part of who we are and how we think creatively. Winter in Melbourne asks a little more of you. You do have to rug up, and you might need to brave the cold or the rain, but what you get in return is something special. The energy is concentrated, intimate and unmistakably Melbourne. We’re incredibly excited to work with the City of Melbourne to drive visitation at a time of year when the rewards are absolutely worth the effort,” said Danielle Moeller, founder at Town Square.
“We couldn’t be more excited to create a winter campaign for the City of Melbourne that intrinsically feels like the city we know and love when it’s at its polarising best,” commented Brendan Day, executive creative director at Town Square.
“We’re proud to be part of a city that doesn’t shy away from winter, it owns it. ‘Melbourne at its most Melbourne’ celebrates a place that thrives against every shade of grey, the vibe and depth of what it offers across food, culture, arts, retail and live performance remains as strong as ever. ‘Melbourne at its most Melbourne’ is about reminding Victorians that the CBD continues to deliver rich, memorable experiences year-round, and that there is real value in making the trip into the city,” added Lord Mayor Nick Reece.
Zenith Australia’s media strategy focuses on maximising the reach and impact of the new creative messaging in proven environments, and connecting with audiences across channels including BVOD, Uber Ads and an iconic Melbourne tram wrap. To further celebrate how Melbourne comes to life, tactical alignment to AFL environments including key out-of-home panels along commuting routes to the MCG and Marvel Stadium will reach cross-generational Melburnians during this quintessential winter ritual.
The campaign drives audiences to check out ‘The Cold List’ at What’s On Melbourne to explore the events and happenings that make the most of the city when the temperature drops, featuring special offers from city businesses.
Launched in 2022, the ‘Only in the City’ platform celebrates the unique experiences that define Melbourne, from its exceptional food, fashion and retail, to its art, entertainment and nightlife, all of which can only be experienced in the heart of the city. Last winter, seasonal destination marketing activities generated $66.5 million in economic uplift for local businesses and events.
Credits:
City of Melbourne
Chief Customer and Communications Officer: Rebecca Skelton
Head of Marketing & Digital: Gabrielle Oldaker
Senior Manager Brand Strategy & Campaigns: Claire Frean
Marketing Campaign Manager: Alicia Milan
Marketing Campaign Lead: Julia Paxinos
Marketing Campaign Coordinator: Sophie-Rose Maytom
Marketing Campaign Coordinator: Tessa Browne
Town Square
Executive Creative Director: Brendan Day
Design Director: Luke Henley
Founder / Managing Director: Danielle Moeller
Senior Account Director: Rochelle Vaisanen
Account Director: Jacqueline Smith
Senior Account Manager: Sam Harrington
Finished Artist: Anthony Biewer
Video Editor: Jimmy Walker
Head of Production: Anna Morris
Producer: Maddison Fricker
Director / Photographer: Josh Robenstone represented by Artline
DOP: Mondo Hays
Camera Assist: Louis Mitchell
Stylist: Holly Karas
Hair & Makeup: Marie-Louise Cannon
Grade: MoodLab
Music Supervision: Level 2
Music Track: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Zenith Australia
Head of Strategy: Simon Schone
Business Director: Hannah Merrigan
Account Manager: Emily Dewar
Snr Account Executive: Connie Loiacono
Account Executive: Thomas Paneghel
