Children enjoy a summer bug hunt in East Devon

A national marketing communications campaign has been launched, promoting East Devon as a visitor destination in the off-peak seasons.

The campaign went 'live' on Thursday 10th March and is designed to attract day and overnight visits across East Devon throughout the shoulder seasons, to support the recovery of the visitor economy from Covid-19. The campaign is funded by the ERDF Welcome Back Fund, supporting the seasonal phases of tourism in East Devon. 

East Devon’s leisure and tourism businesses can raise their profile and get on board with the campaign by using #EastDevonly on social media.  A campaign toolkit and top tips can be downloaded from the EastDevonly facebook group facebook.com/groups/eastdevonly.

The next phase of the campaign has been launched, with the announcement of our three ambassadors fb.watch/bBUPkEcODN/:

Michelin starred chef, Michael Caines MBE: Food & Drink Ambassador

Exploring the best of East Devon’s food & drink on an epic district wide road trip taking in the coast and countryside, featuring the producers, brewers, roasters, restaurants, cafes, farmers, fishermen, farm shops, brewers and vineyards.

Five times Kite Race world champion and watersports coach, Steph Bridge: Adventure Ambassador (Coast & Countryside)

Joining Steph Bridge and Team Bridge on a coastal and countryside adventure odyssey, highlighting the activities, showcasing the best times to visit, the beaches and hidden coves, along with the favourite walking and cycling trails.

Blogger, entrepreneur and director of award-winning holiday park, Clare Mackenney: Family Ambassador

Taking in the best family things to see and do with 'Flip Flops or Wellies' Blogger, Clare and her family. Discovering the visitor attractions, woodland walks through the rural hinterlands, natural habitats, wealth of wildlife along the Estuaries and wetland Nature Reserves. Highlighting the districts events and family friendly accommodation.

Councillor Nick Hookway, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture, Sport, Leisure and Tourism, said:

The coming of spring in East Devon is always a joy to watch and hear. Whether it is birdsong or the arrival of blossoms and flowers that add such a variety of colour and freshness in the many special areas that we can walk in. Added is the prospect that the weather will slowly start to warm up! Such joys can be found throughout East Devon, by walking on the coast, or through woodlands and fields. Finally, after a good time out we know that we will be assured of a warm welcome at the many wonderful establishments in East Devon that serve good food and drinks.

I urge all our leisure and tourism businesses to embrace the EastDevonly campaign in all their communications to maximise its impact and effectiveness.

To maximise the campaign reach, the next element is a focused digital campaign, which aims to increase brand awareness amongst the target audience and ultimately drive consideration and therefore visitation, pushing those who have been served the ads to the EastDevonly.co.uk website.

The campaign has a multi channel approach, firstly centred around a sophisticated, interactive digital strategy across Digital Out of Home such as poster sites, enhanced and supported by mobile, display, social media, digital audio and video, completely audience-led and focussed toward cities within a 3 hour drive time of East Devon?. Secondly, learning from the first phase, further advertising placements will be selected to raise brand awareness and achieve maximum value for money.

?The campaign complies with the Welcome Back Fund guidance and ERDF and European Structural and Investment Funds Branding and Publicity Requirements in line with the funding requirements.