Sandcastle Waterpark - Summer 2025 Campaign

The summer of 2025 was an important test for Sandcastle Waterpark. The aim was to go beyond local visibility and deliver a campaign that could cut through across the North West and beyond. To achieve this, the activation combined digital audio, Sky AdSmart, and targeted broadcast channels.

Challenge
Sandcastle is already a household name in and around Blackpool, but the task was to reach further. Families within a two-hour drive had plenty of choice when planning their summer holidays. The campaign needed to position Sandcastle as the must-visit attraction by tapping into both awareness and intent.

Approach
Planning began months before launch, mapping out how paid broadcast and digital platforms could work together. The team used Meta and Google as conversion engines, but broadcast was where reach and reputation could grow fastest.

• Sky AdSmart was chosen to deliver highly targeted TV spots to households with children aged 5–11. The ability to filter by postcode and audience type meant we reached the right families at the right time.

• Digital audio with Bauer allowed Sandcastle to appear on trusted national stations during the school holidays. The format created a strong brand presence during family listening moments, with an average listen-through rate of 99.15%.

• Google Search and PMax campaigns captured intent in real time, converting awareness into bookings.

• Meta ads reinforced visibility with parents and guardians, while Snapchat and TikTok built energy with younger audiences.

Results
The campaign ran from late July to early September. By the end of the summer, performance had surpassed expectations:

• Over 61.4 million impressions, beating projections by more than 20%

• 424,000 targeted Sky AdSmart views, with a frequency of 8.4 per household

• 220,000 audio impressions, maintaining almost perfect completion rates

• Google campaigns delivered a 21.54% CTR, far above the sector benchmark

• Meta reached 6.4 million impressions, driving low-cost conversions and repeat bookings

Impact
What stood out most was how the campaign reflected Sandcastle’s position in Blackpool’s visitor economy. Instead of chasing tourist hotspots, placements were deliberately pushed into overlooked urban areas, where value-driven families are more likely to seek out memorable days out. This mirrored the lived experiences of the campaign’s audiences and connected with people who might not have otherwise considered Blackpool.

The activation didn’t just fill peak summer days. It built a stronger reputation for Sandcastle across the wider region, with feedback showing improved awareness among families planning short breaks and repeat visits. The campaign has also given Sandcastle a scalable model for future years, balancing broadcast reach with precision targeting and strong conversion engines.