The South West Edge invites travellers to ‘Explore EVerywhere’ with new campaign via thebox
The South West Edge, in conjunction with RAC Parks and Resorts and Toyota Australia, has launched ‘Explore EVerywhere’, an integrated tourism campaign brought to life by award-winning agency thebox, positioning Western Australia’s South West as one of the world’s great electric road trips.
At the centre of the campaign is a new digital EV charger map and itinerary hub, now live here, featuring a six-day electric road trip from Perth to Albany through rolling wine country, forests and the southern coastline, with an optional extension to Esperance and every EV charger along the route mapped.
The South West Edge approached thebox with the idea of creating an online touring map that would make it easier for EV travellers to see chargers along the route and plan their journey. thebox was tasked with bringing the idea to life online, developing the interactive online map and itinerary experience alongside the campaign’s creative and digital content. The platform is hosted by thebox’s hosting agency, EUSO Digital.
The creative idea flips the usual EV touring conversation. Rather than framing charging as a compromise to plan around, Explore EVerywhere makes it part of the adventure: every charge is a reason to stop, stay longer and explore a town or location you might otherwise have driven through.
The campaign deliberately avoids maximum-distance thinking, instead building itineraries where the journey naturally creates opportunities to stop and connect. The Explore EVerywhere campaign line, developed by thebox, captures the idea in a single word: with an EV, everywhere is within reach.
“A lot of EV owners still think twice about heading beyond the city. Explore EVerywhere flips that thinking. When you can see every charger along the route, the South West opens right up, and the stops become the best part of the trip,” says Scott Robinson, Founder and Imagineer of thebox.
The hero campaign film and photography were shot by photographer Rachel Claire, who also fronts the campaign and documents her own journey in the Toyota bZ4X along The South West Edge. Travelling from Perth through country hills, towering forests, wild southern coastlines and some of the State’s most iconic regional towns, Claire captured the campaign on location, giving the work a genuine first-person, on-the-road feel.
The campaign is rolling out across digital, social and OOH channels throughout September and October. While early results showed a 43% increase in visitors to The South West Edge website in the first week, by the end of the first month overall traffic and new users were up in excess of 300%, with growth across paid social, paid search, direct and organic social channels.
Photo Courtesty of Rachel Claire.
The map is what brings the partnership together, connecting the destination, the car and places to stay into one plannable journey. Toyota Australia’s bZ4X serves as the campaign vehicle, while RAC Parks and Resorts locations in Busselton and Pemberton provide overnight stops along the itinerary, allowing travellers to charge while they sleep. The route is supported by the WA EV Network, with more than 100 charging points across the network.
“The South West Edge is an iconic road trip showcasing some of Western Australia’s most spectacular landscapes and regional experiences. As more travellers embrace electric vehicles, we want to make it easier for them to explore beyond Perth with confidence. The new interactive EV charging map highlights the growing network of charging stations along the route, removing some of the uncertainty around regional EV travel and inspiring visitors to explore further and experience more of the communities and destinations along the South West Edge.” says Emma Brown, Tourism Engagement Manager, The South West Edge.
Visit the Explore EVerywhere Website here.
Credits
Client: The South West Edge (Australia’s South West)
Marketing Specialist: Kirby Spencer
Tourism Engagement Manager: Emma Brown
Campaign Partners: RAC Parks and Resorts, Toyota Australia
Agency: thebox
Creative Direction: thebox
Campaign Video: thebox
Video and Photography: Rachel Claire
Website and EV Charger Map: thebox & EUSO Digital
Media Agency: bureau42