Canadian online travel show VacationsCanada.tv is in production with season two, set to launch in the coming months, and is adding in some capacity for brands who are looking to target Canadiana travel buffs, nationally or abroad.
Developed for Alberta-based Brewster and its upscale vacation packages targeting the 35+, the show’s pilot season amassed half a million views on its first 21 eps featuring destinations and travel experiences in Alberta. Launched in January, the show is powered by St. Catharines-based 180 Marketing’s proprietary platform, Brand On Demand Television (BODtv).
The platform’s online video player offers real-time metrics on the number of viewers, as well as which eps they’re viewing, how long they’re watching and what packaged vacations they’re clicking, allowing the advertiser to change product mix offering associated with each video within minutes to optimize sales.
‘We’ve seen impressive increases in online quote requests and conversions to real sales,’ says 180 Marketing VP Jim Kalogerakos who adds that VacationsCanada.tv‘s video segments show 10-20% average click-through rates.
‘Now that we have a proven concept,’ Kalogerakos tells MiC, ‘we’re looking at ways to monetize it and bring on sponsors and advertisers,’ adding that season two will incorporate banner advertising opps as well as pre-roll, post-roll, sponsored segments and sponsored shows. Season 2 is focusing on Alberta, but Brewster is in discussions with other provinces and destination to take this across Canada. The site has already secured 11 financing partners, including the Canadian Tourism Commission, VIA Rail, Parks Canada and Travel Alberta.
Meanwhile, global traffic is growing – namely from the US, the UK, Germany, Australia, Japan, India, Mexico and South Korea, which collectively account for 40,000 ep views so far – and Vacationscanada.tv segments are currently being translated in languages targeting Asian and Latin American markets, a move that is expected to drive additional online sales.
