Following two years of closed borders and travel restrictions, leading specialist battlefield tour operator Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours (MMBT) sought to relaunch coinciding with Remembrance Day. Horizon Live Media created a live online program targeting multiple audiences around Australia including prospective travellers, travel agents, travel trade media, consumer travel media and influencers. The content needed to showcase MMBT as providing the highest quality battlefield experiences, all led by expert historians.
Two years had passed since Australians could walk in the footsteps of the ANZACs on significant battlefields around the world. Horizon Live Media set out to create a program designed to honour, commemorate, and highlight battlefield travel, where guests were virtually transported to the Western Front, Kokoda and Vietnam.
In order to create a greater sense of understanding of trench-warfare experienced by the ANZACs, Horizon Live Media used a 3D bunker and trench system as the 3D stage for the presentation . The program was hosted by Mat McLachlan from within the bunker where he interviewed three expert historians located in Australia and France. Alongside the historian interviews, flyovers from the battlefield destinations, vision of sites to see today, and historic images were cut in to bring the history and ANZAC stories to life.
All three historians were then linked for a panel discussion on the significance of Remembrance Day and the importance of remembering our war history. The event concluded with a live Q&A with Mat McLachlan.
Horizon Live Media designed the experience, advised on the script then produced the program including all the live crosses and panel discussion. It was distributed via our secure and dedicated 1080P streaming service and supported by a real-time help desk.
Over 500 people registered to attend the event live with many more requesting the ability to view after. Feedback from audiences was that the campaign brought history to life and created meaningful and emotive connections. The live Q&A opportunity was exceptionally well received with many attendees posing questions.
The event recording was both shared in full across social media and cut into the battlefield destination interview segments for future sharing. Tens of thousands of organic views, likes and shares and hundreds of positive comments have been received.
The campaign generated a surge in bookings with several tours fully booked in the week of the relaunch. Connections with travel agents and media were reignited, resulting in ongoing opportunities for interviews and coverage.
Mat MacLachlan presenting from the studio.