This call-to-action focused campaign has been thoughtfully designed to encourage our communities to shop, eat and play locally by spending at local ‘bricks and mortar’ stores as restrictions relax and people can now move around more freely.
Over the past two years, businesses have suffered immensely, particularly those in hospitality and retail with many operators forced to close their doors or temporarily reduce operating hours due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the campaign incentive, to encourage locals to get out and spend locally, a unique prize package has been created, giving locals the chance to win a ‘fly a friend home for lunch package’, which includes a $500 Air New Zealand domestic or international flight voucher to fly friends or whānau to Palmerston North and a $150 Provenance voucher for lunch at Manawatū’s newest restaurant with an ethos focused around supporting local food producers to enjoy while they are here.
To be eligible, shoppers must spend $20 in store at a local retail or hospitality business in Palmerston North city or Manawatu district, and enter using the form on ManawatuNZ.co.nz/get-local.
The host business of the main prize will win attendance to a leadership training programme on Lauren Parsons Wellbeing’s advanced ‘Leading So People Thrive’ course (valued at $999) to help them thrive personally and be equipped to create a positive workplace culture.
Now is the time to look after our region and ensure our favourite cafés or stores are still there in a post-COVID world says CEDA’s Marketing and Communications Manager Janet Reynolds.
“We are encouraging communities to get out and shop local, supporting local businesses that make our region a great place to be”
“Pop that mask on and support our businesses by treating yourself. It’s so important that we support what we’ve got, or the reality is our region will look and feel very different in a post-pandemic world” adds Reynolds
With the objective of further encouraging people to spend, the ‘Get Local’ campaign includes a creative and original radio promotion with MoreFM; challenging locals to ‘find your heart, Manawatū,’ involving a heart shaped icon placed strategically around locally loved cafés within the region with the challenge of finding it to be in to win a $100 spot prize each day on the lead up to Easter.
The heart icon is part of our region’s pepeha and represents Iwi, Tangata Whenua, and our people - everyone who lives in or visits Manawatū and is the hero of the campaign creative design, says CEDA’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Janet Reynolds.
To enter, community members must post a photo of themselves holding Manawatū’s heart alongside a staff member from the store they’ve shopped in, and post it on the Manawatū MoreFM Facebook page once the competition kicks off on Sunday 10 April.
“This creative concept is a great opportunity for a local business to raise their profile and get some tangible advertising support while giving us the opportunity to celebrate the positive, hardworking businesses and encourage our community to support local”, adds Reynolds.
“We recognise that while the past few years have been challenging, the impacts of the latest Omicron outbreak in 2022 have proved particularly tough for our store-front businesses,” says Amanda Linsley, Manawatū Business Chamber Chief Executive. "It's great that we can all be part of the recovery and get behind this campaign for our region".
“During last year’s restrictions our small business owners showed initiative and resilience to keep afloat and now restrictions are more relaxed, it is our turn to rally together to show initiative, and support them, which is what we are doing through this new marketing initiative. It's great that we can all be part of the recovery and get behind this campaign for our region," adds Linsley.
To support awareness of the ‘Get Local’ campaign, CEDA have produced a suite of resources for businesses to rally behind this initiative and promote the campaign and their involvement. Assets will include posters, social media assets, and email signatures and will be housed on ManawatuNZ.co.nz/get-local. For more information:
[email protected]
06 350 1830
