Economic Development Queensland
Throwing a Nicholas Street Party
Nicholas Street Precinct
Government
Media Relations
Social Media
Revitalising Ipswich’s Forgotten City Heart
After years of development, Ipswich City Council unveiled a major milestone in the Nicholas Street Precinct revitalisation, enlisting Aruga to deliver an integrated marketing campaign that would celebrate its transformation. With just eight weeks to execute, we developed a comprehensive strategy that combined public relations, marketing, content creation, graphic design, community engagement, event delivery and site design.
The campaign’s highlight was a vibrant ribbon-cutting ceremony and opening weekend celebration that attracted 15,000 visitors and positioned the precinct as Ipswich’s new cultural and social hub. Proactive media relations secured mainstream attention, including coverage on all three major commercial TV networks, emphasising the precinct’s significance to Queensland’s fastest-growing city.
By engaging local suppliers, tenants, and residents, our approach fostered community connection while seamless event execution and creative site design drove excitement. The campaign’s success included a 30% year-on-year uplift in visitation, establishing the Nicholas Street Precinct as a dynamic destination for Ipswich’s future growth.
Results
54
unique media clips
1.4M
potential audience reach
30%
increase in visitation
15,000
opening weekend visitors
15,000+
impressions and 1,561 engagements on opening weekend social content
Deliverables
Event Delivery
Organising a VIP ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding to celebrate the precinct’s transformation and honour key partners.
Site Design
Creating an art-led hoarding solution that seamlessly integrates empty tenancies into the precinct's cohesive design.
Public Relations
Strategically showcasing the precinct’s rich history and future potential to secure widespread positive media coverage.
Marketing
Collaborating with landmark tenants to develop and execute aligned strategies that maximise visibility and impact across above and below the line channels.
Content Capture
Capturing the energy and excitement of the opening weekend celebrations to create dynamic assets for future promotional use.
Site Activation
Designing a dynamic program of entertainment to attract visitors and foster positive community sentiment.
Winning tactics
Working closely and collaboratively with tenant teams to align messaging and strategies, ensuring coordinated outcomes that maximised visibility and impact across the precinct.
Incentivising opening weekend attendance with engaging giveaways, live entertainment and exclusive promotions, creating a festive atmosphere that attracted 15,000 visitors and kickstarted community interest.
Capitalising on individual tenancy openings as milestones to sustain frequent media interest and consumer engagement, maintaining excitement throughout the campaign.
Introducing a content-led approach to all marketing activity, delivering visually engaging and authentic stories that resonate with target audiences and provide consistent reasons to visit.
Elevating the precinct’s brand and graphic design to ensure all communications are clear, consistent and polished, presenting a contemporary and cohesive identity across all channels and consumer touchpoints.
