Justin Barnette
Creative Mind + Unique Perspective
OTPYM-Apr-2017-resized.jpg

Tourism + Marketing

Tourism + Marketing

As the Brand Marketing and Communications Manager for South African Tourism, I work with an extraordinary team to creatively tell South Africa’s tourism story here in the United States. Below are some of my favorite recent projects.

 
Featured
Inspired by the IRS report that the average individual income tax refund for this year was estimated at $3,050, we launched a campaign encouraging US travelers to use their tax refunds to visit South Africa. Holiday packages priced at $3,000 or

Inspired by the IRS report that the average individual income tax refund for this year was estimated at $3,050, we launched a campaign encouraging US travelers to use their tax refunds to visit South Africa. Holiday packages priced at $3,000 or less (inclusive of airfare) were sourced from 10 top US travel trade partners and were showcased on southafrica.net/deals during tax season.

We continued our influencer marketing efforts with a hosting that showcased the best of active adventure, safari, and city lifestyle experiences throughout the country. The influencers’ individual stories and personal wow moments (including bungee jumping, wine tasting, and early morning game drives) are captured in our new #WowSouthAfrica video series. Check it out above. 

As partners at the New York Times Travel Show, we cut the ribbon to officially open the show and enjoyed prime placement on the trade show floor. Throughout the 3-day event more than 30,000 consumers, trade and media were in attendance to meet with

As partners at the New York Times Travel Show, we cut the ribbon to officially open the show and enjoyed prime placement on the trade show floor. Throughout the 3-day event more than 30,000 consumers, trade and media were in attendance to meet with our trade partners and experience our new #WowSouthAfrica video creative streaming on a giant video wall within the stand. 

We partnered with music superstars Mumford & Sons to celebrate the release of their new album, Johannesburg  (inspired by their recent visit to SA). The partnership included a NYC pop-up shop where consumers participated in a variety of SA

We partnered with music superstars Mumford & Sons to celebrate the release of their new album, Johannesburg (inspired by their recent visit to SA). The partnership included a NYC pop-up shop where consumers participated in a variety of SA themed activations, two sold out concerts at Forest Hills Stadium, and an appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. 

Our team launched an influencer hosting anchored by visits to sites of significance to Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy. The resulting social media mini-series called #MeetSouthAfrica captured the influencers’ meetings with their local South African counterparts and highlighted the inspiration for their life, work and craft found through the connections made. Check out one of the videos above.

To kick off our month-long South African music festival with Carnegie Hall, we hosted a pop-up concert in Times Square where South African music legends Hugh Masekela and Vusi Mahlasela delighted the crowd with musical performances from high atop a

To kick off our month-long South African music festival with Carnegie Hall, we hosted a pop-up concert in Times Square where South African music legends Hugh Masekela and Vusi Mahlasela delighted the crowd with musical performances from high atop a double decker bus. Highlights included an interactive duet with the crowd of who joined in with their own vuvuzelas!  

Our team produced 10 first-person perspective videos, ranging from bungee jumping to shark cage diving to safari that were stitched together in a “choose your own adventure” format to form a single interactive experience across multiple platforms, including mobile and desktop. Individual experience clips were then extracted to use in digital advertising campaigns. Check out shark cage diving above.

Want to know more?