Campaign snapshot
When Gunwharf Quays introduced a UK-first immersive entertainment offer with ApolloDomes, we knew your average retail event launch wouldn’t work. We were presenting an entirely new leisure destination to audiences, and needed to generate standout national and regional coverage, as well as influencer buzz.
ApolloDomes – two 9-metre domes featuring 270-degree projection – would host two seasonal experiences in its debut year: Pumpkinville for Halloween and Christmasville for the festive season. Both required something special to cut through some of the noisiest moments in the events calendar, build anticipation before doors even opened, and position Gunwharf Quays as home to something genuinely new.
We needed to turn a brand-new concept into a must-visit destination – not once, but twice in just three months.
How we did it
We treated ApolloDomes like a destination, not a one-off launch – using scale, spectacle and storytelling to build momentum from Autumn straight through to Christmas.
First, we announced the arrival of Pumpkinville and Christmasville, through a press release positioning ApolloDomes as a headline-worthy new attraction landing in Portsmouth. Early coverage landed quickly across national, London and regional titles, including The Sun, Metro and Secret London.
For Pumpkinville, we leaned into versatility: Family-friendly immersive experiences by day, and scarier, 18+ sessions after dark. Press office activity was supported by paid and gifted influencers, helping to bring the experience to life on social and drive ticket sales.
For Christmasville, we teased as early as possible. From September, media were given a first indication of what was coming – a traditional Santa’s grotto, an immersive live show combining theatre, puppetry and projection, and the Bauble Bar.
On 20 November, we hosted an exclusive press and influencer preview ahead of the public opening of Christmasville. Media and creators were given exclusive access, with PA Media attending and distributing imagery nationally. A ‘first look’ press release and image drop followed the next morning, keeping Christmasville front of mind as festive round-ups ramped up, and securing coverage in The i and Heat.
Alongside press, we layered in paid partnerships with family and lifestyle creators, supported by extensive gifted activity across the region – ensuring ApolloDomes dominated social feeds as well as headlines.
@harleighfairgriev ad Come with us to Christmasville at @Gunwharf Quays ♬ original sound – Harleigh Fairgrieve
The results
Across Halloween and Christmas, we firmly established ApolloDomes as a standout new leisure destination.
The campaign delivered 234 pieces of coverage with a combined reach of over 64 million across national, regional and online media.
Pumpkinville secured 94 pieces of coverage with a reach of over 36 million, alongside more than 674k views from paid influencer content.
Christmasville generated 140 pieces of coverage with a reach of over 30.4 million, plus more than 859k views and 107k engagements from paid influencer partnerships.
One standout paid partnership from @harleighfairgriev became the most highly engaged piece of influencer content ever for Gunwharf Quays – proving that the festive magic landed just as strongly online as it did in real life.
