The win, announced at a ceremony at Crown Sydney on 27 August, recognises Explore’s ability to turn a limited budget into a campaign that delivered both standout engagement and measurable commercial results.
The brief was to build meaningful brand awareness and measurable booking uplift among Australian workers aged 45 and over, without the budget for a traditional media buy. The target audience was navigating the compounding pressures of midlife, burnout, career intensity, ageing parents, and a growing sense that their travel dreams keep getting deferred. Research of 2,000 Australian workers found that 72% believe sabbaticals should be a standard workplace benefit, and among those already considering one, three in four planned to take one within two years.
Explore Worldwide identified a growing movement of midlife workers taking planned breaks of four weeks to six months to travel, reset and reconnect with what matters, and named this the ‘Radical Sabbatical’, building an earned-first campaign to own it across PR, broadcast, social, an interactive quiz and a dedicated booking offer. The quiz turned awareness into direct, personalised
The campaign ultimately translated the conversation into action, with passenger volume among 45–54-year-olds increasing by 57.6% year-on-year, while back-to-back bookings within the demographic rose by 66%.
“Winning Best Campaign With a Small Budget is fantastic recognition of what can be achieved when you start with a strong insight and a big idea, rather than a big media budget.
“Radical Sabbatical struck a chord because it tapped into something Australians were already feeling, the desire to step away from the everyday and make more time for experiences that matter. We’re incredibly proud that it sparked a conversation and, importantly, encouraged people to turn that idea into real travel.” – Ben Ittensohn, Regional Director AUNZ, Explore Worldwide.
Explore Worldwide worked with Gate7 (PR), Felicity Harley (spokesperson), Devotion (paid media) and Tigerbond (
