The Playcation Hero Campaign
For UK staycation experts Hoseasons, we developed The Playcation concept – a bold, family-first through-the-line campaign to put the holiday park brand at the heart of culture, conversation, and consumer imagination.
Centred around the importance of embracing the joy of play – whatever your age – the campaign was brought to life by household-name ambassador Joanna Page – actress, presenter, and parent of four.
The campaign combined strategic PR outreach, broadcast media engagement, celebrity activation, influencer-led storytelling, and social amplification, all backed by data-driven insights, to position Hoseasons as the go-to provider of family-friendly staycations in an fresh and exciting way.
What we have achieved
The Playcation campaign delivered a measurable step-change in awareness, engagement, and category ownership for a brand otherwise reliant on its heritage and legacy. Through this concept we:
- Positioned Hoseasons as the family-first short break authority, creating a distinctive, ownable brand search category.
- Managed a VIP ambassador activation that reached 380k+ on socials, creating authentic, shareable content that resonated with the target family market.
- Delivered broadcast and radio amplification that achieved 16M+ reach, including 31 interviews that aired across 386 stations, and a live ambassador appearance on ITV’s Loose Women.
- Generated 1,065 news bulletins and supporting national, regional, and trade coverage, cementing earned media presence.
- Outreached data-led stories generated from survey that provided compelling media hooks, driving press engagement and reinforcing the Playcation narrative.
- Influenced digital performance, with +3% uplift in weekly site traffic and brand-driven traffic during an otherwise flat pre-summer period.
- Established a platform for long-term brand storytelling, embedding the Playcation experience into Hoseasons’ own story via a through-the-line strategy that encompassed PR, social, content, and broadcast channels.
Highlights
- Hero campaign ideation flipped promotion of traditional family breaks into a playful, joy-first concept.
- Household-name ambassador activation authentically showcased a Playcation in action.
- Multi-channel impact with a YoY uplift in site traffic, brand-driven engagement, and momentum for summer bookings.
- Integration across key consumer touchpoints amplified a consistent, fun, family-first message.
- The Playcation concept helped Hoseasons dominate in the UK family breaks category in 2025.
