Explore Worldwide take small groups of adventurous-minded holiday makers to over 100 worldwide destinations with over 400 different itineraries. Explore’s 25 year’s experience places them as leaders in the adventure travel sector but they are conscious that the competition is stiff. The market too is developing: TV travel programmes, wildlife documentaries and consumer demand for new experiences offers the potential for growth. Explore now targets families, cyclists, walkers, rail and sea travel enthusiasts, even busy metro-dwellers looking for an alternative to the weekend city break.

Explore approached M-Corp to develop a 10 minute video that encapsulated the ethos of an Explore trip. The video would run at the start of Explore’s Adventure Travel Presentations that run through the winter months around the UK.

M-Corp analysed the different customer segments and the stages of the sales cycle to devise an interactive solution that will encourage more people to book adventure holidays with Explore. The idea at the heart of the project was that travellers love to share stories of their experiences, so who better to promote Explore than customers actually on an Explore trip?

 M-Corp interviewed Explore customers on location in the Dordogne and Morocco then edited a series of seven short video packages that captured “the Explore experience”.

When combined the video packages were used at the Adventure Travel Presentation. M-Corp and Explore were able to reuse the material to create a CDROM that Explore could use to target audiences who had previously never considered Explore for their holiday.

Once a prototype was ready M-Corp conducted a series of one-on-one observed user trials to get consumer reactions before the CDROM was duplicated. The trials gave M-Corp and Explore the opportunity to test the navigation and improve the CDROM’s functionality. In addition it offered the chance to delve into the psyche of travellers which has given Explore’s marketing team a long list of future campaign ideas.

The 10 minute overview video has been shown at all 25 of Explore’s Adventure Travel Presentations during the ‘04/’05 season and received enthusiastic feedback from attendees.

5000 CDROMs were duplicated and formed part of an integrated marketing campaign comprising traditional Direct Mail and Explore’s website. The primary objective of the CDROM was to drive visitors to Explore’s website to find out about the latest trips and book them. Measurement is important and M-Corp built the CDROM to link to specific web pages that so that Explore could track its success.

The project has been well received by both Explore and their customers. Fiona Seton, Explore’s Sales and Online Channel Manager commented;

“we’re delighted by the response. This project has set Explore apart from the competition”

“Though the brief was simple, managing two location shoots and all the associated logistics were not. M-Corp had the experience to make the project run smoothly, being both culturally sensitive and not too obtrusive in the groups.”

The potency of video material in attracting new audiences has not been missed by others at Explore. The videos are now streamed from Explore’s website using a Flash video player built by M-Corp. Nicola Waller, Explore’s Head of Marketing said;

“We’re delighted with the project. It’s exceeded our expectations.”

“The videos are so immediate; users get what we’re about straight away. M-Corp’s work is now a key part of Explore’s marketing communications”

Explore have been finding inventive uses for the video material. It has been shown to new employees as part of their induction training and was also shown at a internal management conference.

This project has forged a strong bond between M-Corp and Explore. Discussions are underway to investigate how M-Corp could develop the material into a travel agent training tool. Other plans include an interactive DVD targeted at families and interactive exhibition material.