The Facts

• Opportunities to see the brand in the media up from 13.3m to over 32m in one year.
• Major national coverage in media including The Telegraph, Sunday Express, Mail on Sunday and The Times.
• Winning entries prepared for the Homes Overseas and CNBC Property Awards
• Supporting marketing activities including e-letters, events, and a CEO Programme.
• Context has worked for the Oceânico Group since 2004

"The team at Context is enthusiastic, professional and committed to getting us great results."
Nikki Chamberlain, Marketing Manager, Oceanico Group

The Brief

The Anglo-Irish Oceânico Group is one of the leading property developers and golf operators in Portugal.  The Group consists of Oceânico Developments, Oceânico Golf and Oceânico Resorts & Leisure.

Oceânico Developments is the market leader in high quality properties in Portugal, and has extended its activities to the USA.  Its property and golf portfolio is now worth over €2bn.

Oceânico Resorts & Leisure offers holiday rentals at the properties, while Oceânico Golf manages the group’s golf courses, including five at Vilamoura (The Oceânico Old Course, Oceânico Victoria, Oceânico Pinhal, Oceânico Millennium and Oceânico Laguna).

Strategy

While Oceânico is well known in Ireland the company was keen to build awareness and establish its credentials in the UK market.  A sustained programme of awareness building through one-to-one interviews, press trips, case studies, celebrity interviews, press releases, launch events and e-letters has been developed to communicate the key messages of the group and build its presence in the UK market.

Action

Context initially managed the launch of Oceânico’s €500million Amendoeira Golf resort in the Algarve, organising and hosting an advance-viewing press trip to the site of the new development. This resulted in major coverage in national and property publications, together with an interview in the Telegraph.

Following this success Context implemented a programme of news releases, together with property availability updates, customer case studies, interviews and feature opportunities.

Since this time a wide range of press trips, events and interviews have been set up, including managing the announcement of Oceânico’s purchase of five golf courses at Vilamoura.  This saw media attending a launch event in The Algarve.

In 2008 the launches of Vilamoura Golf & Garden Resort and Royal Obidos Spa & Golf Resort have been managed with an exclusive press trip.  National and consumer media attended, including the Express, Evening Standard and Place in the Sun.

To support the launch activity interviews and feature articles have been organised by Context, including interviews with Nick Faldo on his golf course at Amendoeira with The Times; an interview with Seve Ballesteros as part of Oceânico’s development near Óbidos; and interviews with names such as Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Diarmuid Gavin with national media.

Context has also implemented an e-letter campaign for the Group, creating e-letters and e-shots for the Developments, Resorts and Golf arms of the business.  UK events have also been supported through a range of interview opportunities, while targeted marketing activities including a CEO programme have been implemented.

Finally, winning entries for the Homes Overseas and CNBC Property Awards have been prepared by Context to strengthen the Oceânico brand in the UK.

Results

The programme has resulted in major press coverage, with features, interviews and case studies in national newspapers and key magazines.  Event, award and marketing support have also been provided, together with online activity to strengthen customer communication. 

As a result, Oceânico has seen a growing level of business from the UK market, combined with increased awareness for its range of upmarket developments.