Blossoming Success: Bastion’s ‘Live Colorfully’ Campaign Tops the Field

The prestigious Netty Awards, honoring exceptional contributions to the digital realm, have recognized Bastion’s inventive “Live Colorfully” campaign for its fusion of innovation, creativity, and strategic application of social media to amplify The Flower Fields of Carlsbad. This campaign harmoniously bridged the gap between offline experiences and online phenomena, transforming the farm into a vivid digital sensation. Let’s delve deeper into this compelling campaign and celebrate the work that led to its victory.

Innovation and Differentiation

In 2023, The Flower Fields season introduced the vibrant theme “Live Colorfully.” Bastion Agency’s mission was to intertwine the physical experience with the digital world effectively, transforming this working farm into a lively digital phenomenon. The campaign’s distinctive element was “Farm Fridays,” a series of videos that gave an inside look into the farm’s operations and created anticipation for the upcoming season. Partnering with influencers for exclusive farm tours and an “influencer day” helped communicate the ethos of “Living Colorfully” effectively. Moreover, by highlighting unique experiences like sunset wine tastings, yoga in the fields, picnics, flower events, and live music, Bastion successfully showcased the farm’s million-dollar ocean views, a rarity among agricultural attractions.

Measurable Impact and Success

By tailoring messages to distinct audience segments, Bastion managed to engage users effectively. The “Live Colorfully” campaign showed impressive results, with a total following growth to over 180k across platforms, reaching over 22.3 million people within four months, and generating over 890k total social engagements. Moreover, website traffic from social media increased by 26% compared to the previous year, driving an ROI of nearly 100x in ticket sales during the 2023 season. Testimonials from influencers and educators further solidified the campaign’s success and impact.

Creative Elements and Execution

The “Live Colorfully” campaign brilliantly captured The Flower Fields’ essence by blending bespoke visuals with interactive storytelling. From unveiling the stages of the flowers pre-season to partnering with brands like Canon and Visit Carlsbad and leveraging influencers for captivating content, Bastion successfully brought the offline experience online. Notably, the team addressed potential visitors’ weather concerns by providing weather updates, reinforcing the opportunity to visit during sunny days, thereby enhancing customer confidence and re-engaging audiences.

Overall Excellence and Industry Advancement

Despite challenges such as unpredictable weather, delayed bloom, and the nuances of launching an event-based seasonal tourism destination, the campaign excelled, marking one of the most successful seasons for The Flower Fields. A steady flow of engaging content, strategic brand partnerships, and influencer support contributed to this success, resulting in 22.3M impressions, 65K website sessions from social media (a 26% increase), and a 20% increase in Instagram followers to 104.8k. The “Live Colorfully” campaign transcended physical boundaries and reached millions globally, embodying the vibrant essence of The Flower Fields.

About Bastion Agency

Bastion is a full-service marketing and communications agency with over 350 experts across Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. Since its establishment in 2009, Bastion has aimed to amalgamate world-class independent marketing communication agencies and experts to deliver work that truly makes a difference. Bastion’s integrated, collaborative, and diverse culture fuels its relentless pursuit of imagination and challenges norms, manifesting in work that moves people. The “Live Colorfully” campaign for The Flower Fields is a testament to Bastion’s ability to go against the grain and create groundbreaking digital experiences.

About the Netty Awards

The Netty Awards celebrate digital excellence by recognizing unique contributions in digital marketing, advertising, and public relations. By acknowledging innovations that push boundaries and redefine industry norms, the awards inspire creativity and excellence in the digital sphere. Bastion Agency’s “Live Colorfully” campaign for The Flower Fields represents the transformative power of digital tools in creating immersive experiences that resonate with audiences worldwide.

Congratulations to Bastion Agency on their Netty Awards win, we anticipate more of their innovative contributions to the digital world.