Issued by Random Hat
Communications on behalf of Stellenbosch Experience
Helderberg Ernie Els wines
The pioneering Stellenbosch
American Express® Wine Routes amplified its innovation in connecting
with more travellers from across the globe with the launch of an experiential #Stellenblog Blogger
Campaign, which will see some of the most influential international and
national bloggers uncovering and digitally sharing the secrets and stories of
South’s Africa’s oldest and foremost wine region during May.
This sharp and edgy
week-long social media initiative, which kicks off on the fifth of May, aims to
affirm Stellenbosch as a multifaceted and must-experience destination worth
more than just a day trip or a wine tasting. It forms part of the region’s
year-long Stellenbosch Experience marketing campaign,
initiated in conjunction with Stellenbosch 360, to showcase the region’s
authentic wine tourism offerings on a global scale.
#Stellenblog, which is hosted in association with iAmbassador –
renowned for successful blogging campaigns like #Blogville in Emilia
Romagna, Italy – will see high-ranking
international travel and leisure bloggers joining top South African lifestyle
and travel bloggers in a ‘connected’ villa on a working wine farm in the
Winelands.
As ‘digital ambassadors’ they will immerse themselves in a
bucket-list itinerary of sights, sounds and tastes of Stellenbosch and the
broader Cape and live the ‘Stellenbosch Way of Life’ like a local, hosted by
locals in the know, for one week.
The underlying theme
of this campaign is ‘discovery’ and the bloggers will be ‘let loose’ in
Stellenbosch and surrounding areas to get up close and personal with the region
and its people, uncovering and sharing secrets and stories along the way.
The top international
bloggers for the #Stellenblog campaign was selected for the
quality of their content, ideal target audiences and social media reach. The
bloggers who will be making Stellenbosch their ‘home’ represent the wine
route’s core international markets: the USA, UK, Germany and the Netherlands
and enjoy an extensive following in the online travel, lifestyle, food and
leisure sphere.
The international
bloggers include the award-winning Matt Long of the luxury adventure travel
site, Landlopers (www.landlopers.com); Niamh Shields (www.eatlikeagirl.com)
who was recently recognised by The Times magazines as the most influential food
blogger in the UK; Norman Röhlig of I-REF (www.i-ref.de),
one of the most reputable lifestyle websites in Berlin, Germany, and Keith
Jenkins of the opulent Velvet Escape travel blog (www.velvetescape.com).
They will be joined in
the historic villa by ‘local Stellenbosch host-blogger’ Ilse van der Merwe aka
The Food Fox (www.thefoodfox.co.za) whilst the sixth spot
in the house has been left open for now as the search is on for the #Stellenblog South
Africa Top Lifestyle Blogger. The campaign is also supported by the popular South
African lifestyle and wedding blog, The Pretty Blog (www.theprettyblog.com), a
showcase of local talent, designers, beautiful spaces and unique getaways.
“The itinerary of
discovery planned for #Stellenblog is complex and full of
surprises, for the bloggers to peel away the layers of Stellenbosch and share
their first hand experiences with the world. It will also aid in collecting
authentic content for the region to use on our own web platforms and for
promotional activities,” explains Annareth Bolton, CEO of the Stellenbosch Wine
Routes.
This week-long digital
exploration kicks off with a Tweet-Up with various local bloggers, online
influencers and the hosted international guests in the oak-lined streets of
Stellies before moving on to the ‘secret location’ of the #Stellenblog villa
for an evening of mystery and magic joined by local personalities, celebrities
and key personalities.
The #Stellenblog campaign
is supported by South African Tourism and is aligned with its #MeetSouthAfrica
and Indaba 2014 programmes, which will see a number of top international
bloggers visit South Africa. The international bloggers, who will be flown
courtesy of South African Airways, will be using the #Stellenbloghashtag on
social media platforms throughout their journey.
Sensory
engagements will include those with key Stellenbosch
Experience partners such as the Adventure Shop,
Cellar Door Collection Passport, Dornier, Delheim Estate, Evergreen Manor,
Fleur du Cap, The House of JC Le Roux, Kleine Zalze, Majeka House, Middelvlei
Estate, Oldenburg Vineyards, Spier, Stellenbosch Vineyards, Tokara Restaurant,
Van Ryn’s Distillery & Brandy Cellar and Warwick Estate.
For more information
on the Stellenbosch Experience and #Stellenblog campaigns
visit StellenBlog athttp://blog.wineroute.co.za/ or contact
Mariette du Toit-Helmbold at experience@wineroute.co.za or
phone 083 225 5955.
You too can follow and be part of the digital journey using
the hashtag #Stellenblog on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
