'Come to Life' on the Sunshine Coast

A catchy tune from a local musician who was inspired by Alexandra Headland is part of Visit Sunshine Coast's new destination marketing campaign called "Come to Life" which builds on the region’s "naturally refreshing" branding.

The new brand campaign includes television commercials, still photography, print and social media, and is being rolled out from this week.

The TV commercials feature a song about the Sunshine Coast called "This Town", written by local musician, Dan Horne, an English migrant who fell in love with the area and now – literally – sings its praises.

The visually rich campaign reflects the region’s five brand pillars: Contemporary beach culture; Wonders of nature; Innovative food and produce; Immersive encounters, and Exhilarating events.

The campaign will be rolled out initially to the drive market and then launched to interstate markets in March and April.

"Come to Life" aligns with Tourism and Events Queensland’s recent campaign emphasising the amazing tourism experiences available across the state.

“It’s a great way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the naming of the Sunshine Coast,” Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Simon Latchford said.

“The aim of the campaign is to emphasise our well known ‘naturally refreshing’ strengths, but also to highlight the incredible diversity of experiences available within the region.

"Beyond our enviable beach culture is one of Australia’s most renowned food scenes, a vast range of health and wellness activities, adventure experiences and a vibrant arts and cultural sector.

“What the campaign is saying is that a Sunshine Coast holiday allows visitors to ‘Come to Life’: to feel rejuvenated and refreshed.

"What we’re offering is a friendly, nurturing, down to earth destination that is genuine and fresh.

“There are many popular beach destinations along the east coast, but few can offer such a diverse range of quality experiences that take in both beautiful coastal and dramatic hinterland landscapes.”

Mr Latchford said that the Sunshine Coast had recorded its highest tourism figures for over a decade in 2016, and with the launch of the new campaign, the 50th anniversary celebrations, an exciting calendar of events and a record level of direct flights to Sunshine Coast Airport, he was confident that the region could break the all-time tourism record in 2017.

Background to ‘This Town’

A singer-songwriter from Southampton in the UK, who has travelled the world with a guitar on his back, Dan Horne first discovered the Sunshine Coast a decade ago, returning to live permanently in 2010. Winning a recording contract for his performances at the 2016 Caloundra Music Festival, Dan created his ode to the Sunshine Coast, ‘This Town’, while overlooking Alexandra Headland beach, where the launch of the Come to Life campaign took place.

Dan, who is Visit Sunshine Coast’s first official Ambassador, created a special version of ‘This Town’ for the television commercial. The full song will appear on his new album, which is about to be released in his new home town, on the Sunshine Coast.

While influenced by the likes of John Butler, Ben Harper and Xavier Rudd, ‘This Town’ draws its passion from the landscape and warmth of the Sunny Coast, which he is planning to take with him on a national Australian tour later in the year.