Geelong Design Week

Geelong Design Week 2023 took place from 19–29 October across the Greater Geelong region.

The 11-day festival delivered an energised program with 50+ exhibitions, talks, workshops, film premieres, installations and excursions, highlighting Geelong as Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design.

Background

Geelong Design Week 2023 ran from 19–29 October across the Greater Geelong region. Over 11 days, the festival delivered an energised program of 50+ exhibitions, talks, workshops, film premieres, installations and excursions, celebrating Geelong as Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design.

The program connected local organisations, designers, architects, students, and the community, reinforcing Geelong’s place on the world stage for innovation and creativity.

As marketing and engagement lead, I was responsible for implementing an integrated marketing campaign that built audiences, drove ticket sales, and positioned the festival within Victoria’s cultural calendar.

The Challenge

Geelong Design Week had strong foundations from previous years, but faced three challenges:

1. Awareness: Elevating the festival beyond a local event to one of state-wide cultural significance, highlighting Geelong a UNESCO City of Design.
2. Audience Growth: Attracting diverse audiences from across Greater Geelong, Surf Coast, Melbourne and regional Victoria.
3. Economic Impact: Delivering measurable value for the local economy through visitation and tourism spend.

Objectives

• Reinforce Geelong’s identity as a UNESCO City of Design.
• Grow attendance and extend reach across Geelong and beyond.
• Increase engagement across digital, PR, and social media.
• Drive visitation into the region, boosting local businesses and cultural participation.

Marketing Strategy

The campaign combined digital-first tactics, PR partnerships and community engagement to maximise impact.

1. Brand Positioning

• Positioned Geelong Design Week as an immersive celebration of design, innovation and creativity.
• Showcased local designers while connecting programming to Geelong’s UNESCO designation.
• Emphasised inclusivity with a program mix spanning architecture, sustainability, fashion, film, and experiences, most of which were free to attend.

2. Content & Storytelling

• Developed a strong content calendar across owned, earned, and paid channels.
• Produced a teaser video used across social media to drive reach and engagement.
• Created web content and email campaigns with itineraries and highlights to build audience anticipation.

3. Digital Marketing

• Pitched to local and state-wide media to reach local, Melbourne, and regional audiences.
• Updated the festival website with program details, booking links, and accessibility features.
• Achieved 32,916 page views during the campaign period.

4. Partnerships & Engagement

• Collaborated with Communications Collective and Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine to strengthen reach.
• Developed tailored messaging and a marketing kit for stakeholders and event hosts to encourage co-promotion.

5. PR & Media

In a collaborative effort between our PR company and the City of Greater Geelong, we were able to secure coverage across state and local media, including:

• KRock morning show with Tom, Lingy & Loggy interviewing Geelong Design Week ambassador Tim Ross.
  • The Age featured The Dell Eco Reef project across a half page.
  • Sustainability Victoria featured the Perpetual Pigments exhibition.
  • ABC Radio Melbourne interviews with Tim Ross.
  • Features in Architecture AU, Architecture & Design, Urban List.
  • Local coverage in Geelong Advertiser and Geelong Independent.
  • Kip&Co co-founder Kate Heppell was interviewed for the Geelong Times.
• Influencer engagement highlighted exhibitions and broadened social reach.

6. On-the-Ground Experience

• Designed a cohesive visual identity across program materials, signage, billboards and promotional assets.
• Amplified live visitor experiences via shareable content and curated social media stories.

Results

Read the full event report here.

Attendance Growth

• 17,288 attendees (up 172% from 2022’s 6,343).

Audience Profile

• 67% from Geelong and surrounding areas.
• 26% from Melbourne metro.
• 6% from regional Victoria.
• 1% interstate.

Economic Impact

• Visitors from outside Greater Geelong contributed an estimated AUD 1.6 million to the local economy.

Brand Visibility

• Significant uplift in audience engagement, media coverage and website traffic.
• Shortlisted for the National Awards for Local Government.

Conclusion

Geelong Design Week 2023 successfully reinforced Geelong’s reputation as a leader in creativity and innovation. By leveraging digital marketing, strategic PR, and community engagement, the festival achieved record-breaking attendance, measurable tourism impact, and widespread recognition of Geelong’s role as Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design.

The Geelong Design Week teaser video above was used for owned and earned social media, driving visitor reach and engagement. Please see credits below.

Teaser Video Credits:
Client: City of Greater Geelong
Event Curator: Tracey-Lea Smith
Event Coordinator: Alice Bergin
Marketing Lead: Christina Street

Video Production Company: True South Films
Producer: Caleb Plumridge
Editor: Kelly Perry
Footage: Courtesy of event hosts

For more information and to see this year’s program, head to geelongdesignweek.com.au