Jill Abel, Jennifer Bett and Sandra Chu
Storytelling Through Producer Stories, Film and Music Realising the power of a good storytelling, the event featured a variety of guest speakers who were allocated 3-4 minutes to share the story of their business and their challenges overcome with the audience. The storytelling enabled a personal connection to be formed, as the attendees were welcomed to create an authentic understanding and emotional attachment to the Tasman’ s offerings. Each speaker was selected to represent the different successful agricultural, business and community festival sectors. Guest speakers included Daniel Kelleher and Ella Hoban-Kelleher from Premaydena Hill, Clare Dean of Port Arthur Lavender Farm, Vanessa Dunbabin of Bangor Vineyard Shed, Robert Pennicott of Pennicott Wilderness Journeys, David Story of Inghams, John Osborne of Osborne Aviation, Ian Hoyle of Saltwater River Wines, Andrew Crane of the Office of Coordinator General, William McHenry of McHenry Distillery and Suze van der Beek for the Lightwave Festival.
To complement the event, the Tasman Council commissioned two short films: Think Tasman and Here We Are. Both were created by a local filmmaker, Tunnel Bay Productions, while the Here We Are soundtrack was written and performed by a local Tasman artist, Dusty Rusty. These films captured the essence of the Tasman region— its natural beauty, vibrant community and high-quality products. The films were shown during the event, providing a powerful visual and emotional connection to the region as in this oversaturated and distracted world storytelling is a necessity to ensure recall and emotional connection( Dicks, 2018). The productions were later released to all event attendees, the business and local community to share with family, friends and colleagues.
This multimedia approach extended beyond the event itself, with the films shared on social media and other digital platforms. They reached a broader audience, generating interest in the Tasman region even among those who could not attend the event.
Community Involvement A notable aspect of the campaign was the involvement of the local community. Producers, artists and contractors collaborated to bring the campaign to life, ensuring it authentically represented the region. This inclusivity not only enhanced the campaign’ s quality but also fostered a sense of ownership and pride among residents.
KEY STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
Strategic Partnerships The success of the THINK TASMAN campaign was built on strong partnerships with local producers, artists and businesses in addition to the host venue in Hobart. By working collaboratively, the Tasman Council was able to pool resources and expertise to create a campaign that exceeded the sum of its parts.
Targeted Audience Engagement The invitation-only nature of the THINK TASMAN event ensured that the right stakeholders were present. This targeted approach maximised the campaign’ s impact, as attendees included individuals and organisations with the potential to drive investment and influence development in the region. Pre-event briefings and followup meetings further strengthened these connections.
Creative Storytelling The use of film and music added depth and authenticity to the campaign’ s narrative. By showcasing the region through the eyes of its residents and producers, the films created a sense of place that resonated with viewers and left a lasting impression. This storytelling extended into written content, menu booklets and social media campaigns, creating a cohesive and compelling brand identity.
Leveraging Local Identity The THINK TASMAN campaign embraced the unique identity of the Tasman region, from its natural landscapes to its artisanal products. This focus on authenticity helped differentiate the campaign from generic promotional efforts and highlighted the region’ s distinct value. The campaign’ s branding, including its logo, reflected this identity and reinforced its message.
OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS The THINK TASMAN campaign achieved significant outcomes, both immediate and long-term. Key impacts included:
Increased Visibility The campaign successfully elevated the Tasman region’ s profile, attracting media coverage and generating buzz among key stakeholders. Media articles and influencer social media posts highlighted the event’ s success and the region’ s offerings.
Investment Interest The Tasman’ s Gross Regional Product( GRP) was $ 125m in 2022 / 23, an increase of 47.06 % over the last ten years(( NIEIR), 2025), nearly double the State’ s growth of 26.3 % over the same period( Barnett, 2024). The Council is focused on continuing this trend and since the event, several investors expressed interest in collaborating with local businesses and developing projects in the region. The inclusion of Tasmania’ s Office of the Co-ordinator General as a guest speaker at the event educated the audience on the assistance this office
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL 18 NO 1 2025 35