Center Parcs activates young parents with branded content

Targeting specific audiences

Center Parcs is keen to reach young parents with children aged 0 to 4 in order to optimally fill their parks even outside the school holidays. To this end, DPG Media developed a full funnel multimedia campaign in cooperation with Ouders van Nu. This successfully activated young parents to book at Center Parcs.

Strategic cooperation with Ouders van Nu

In order to increase the new intake of young parents, Ouders van Nu has been used by Center Parcs as a strategic partner for many years. Ouders van Nu is the most expert multimedia platform for all (expectant) parents with questions about family, parenting and child development and reaches more than 2.1 million (expectant) parents every month.

Reach and convince target group through targeted communication per phase 

The core of the cooperation between Ouders van Nu and Center Parcs is conversion-oriented resources. Using the Ouders van Nu database as a basis, parents-to-be and young parents are approached with relevant information that is precisely tailored to the phase they are in, for example via the pregnancy box, a print brochure and partner mailings.

Through the addition of online branded content articles and partner mailings, the Center Parcs story is told, focusing on the innovations the brand has implemented in recent years and all the conveniences Center Parcs offers young parents. Examples include: standard baby furniture in the cottage, pram-friendly paths, free baby food in the restaurants, baby swimming and various delivery services.

Thanks to its extensive database of expectant and young parents, Ouders van Nu knows exactly which developmental phase the child is in and can therefore serve up exactly the right content per phase: from inspiration for the babymoon to the first holiday as a family.

Positive shifts in brand image and intention to action

This strategic partnership with Center Parcs has existed for more than 20 years. With the addition of branded content in recent years, there was a desire to map its effects. To this end, an ETC study (Effect Tracker Campaign) via DVJ Insights was conducted, which showed:

• Significant sentiment differences: Consumers in the exposed group (those exposed to the campaign) had significantly more positive associations (+15%-point) and also significantly fewer negative associations compared to the unexposed group (-10%-point). In addition, the association 'expensive' was much less frequent among respondents in the exposed group.

• Improved brand image: Within the exposed group, it can be seen that consumers are significantly more positive about the Center Parcs brand. Respondents also significantly more often associated Center Parcs with convenience (+18%-point) and value for money (+17%-point).

• Clear campaign message: The online branded content is well understood: more than two-thirds of respondents clearly understood the campaign message.

• Intention to take action: Respondents in the exposed group are significantly more likely to intend to take action after seeing the campaign. Moreover, consumers in the exposed group were significantly more likely to have gained inspiration and ideas for their next holiday than respondents in the unexposed group.

These positive results show that the strategic partnership with Parents Now and the varied approach with the addition of branded content are successful in reaching, inspiring and convincing young parents to choose Center Parcs for their first family holiday and beyond.

Happy customer

Paula van der Horst - Manager Partnerships & Sales Support Center Parcs about the campaign: "Ouders van Nu knows better than anyone what the challenges, questions and needs are of parents in the various phases. Within the partnership, Parents Now bridges the gap between information needs on the one hand and Center Parcs' broad offer on the other. As a result, they highlight exactly those elements that are important at that moment when inspiring for or booking a holiday."