When you list one of New Zealand’s most iconic pubs for sale, you don’t just run a campaign – you spark a conversation. That’s exactly what happened when the 162-year-old Cardrona Hotel hit the market in July 2025.
Nestled between Wānaka and Queenstown, the heritage-listed hotel is more than a business – it’s a cultural landmark.
And Scope Communications’ campaign to sell it became one of the most talked-about property stories of the year.
The Strategy: integrated, intentional, and iconic
From the outset, the campaign was designed to do more than just list a property. It was about storytelling, legacy, and emotion. We combined:
- Targeted digital advertising across Google Search and Display
- A national PR push that landed in every major media outlet
- Supported by traditional advertising and sponsored content
- A dedicated campaign website to capture buyer interest and engagement
The result? A campaign that delivered both reach and resonance.
Digital Advertising: Smart spend, big impact
With a modest budget of $5,278, the digital campaign (executed by Scope’s inhouse digital marketing strategist) punched well above its weight:
- 17,224 website sessions and 7,010 active users
- 43.4% of traffic driven by paid search
- 29.48% engagement rate across all channels
- 218 tracked conversions, including 186 from paid Search alone
- New Zealand campaign: 20,241 impressions | 1,954 clicks | $0.75 CPC | 9.7% CTR
- Australia campaign: 9,252 impressions | 710 clicks | $2.06 CPC | 7.7% CTR
PR Performance: A national conversation
The PR campaign generated:
- 98 media mentions
- 4.9 million potential reach
- NZD $463,822 in ASR (Advertising Space Rate)
- Coverage spanned TV, radio, print, and online, with the biggest spike in the first week following launch. Top outlets included TVNZ 1, Stuff.co.nz, and Radio NZ, with Stuff alone contributing 12 mentions and NZD $124,742 in ASR.
Media Buzz: From Trade Me to Talkback
The Cardrona Hotel became the third most-viewed property on Trade Me in 2025, racking up over 130,000 views. Buyer interest came from across New Zealand, Australia, the US, and Singapore. At one point, the listing was averaging four hits per minute.
The story was everywhere – from morning radio to evening news, from lifestyle columns to real estate roundups. It even made it into trivia quizzes and talkback radio debates.
Key highlights for us included securing a story in Forbes Australia, and The Australian – and seeing it end up in an American cruise publication in Iceland!
What made it work?
- Emotional storytelling: This wasn’t just a sale – it was a handover of heritage.
- Hyper-local and international targeting: We knew who we wanted and where to find them.
- Media synergy: PR and digital worked in lockstep, amplifying each other’s impact.
Final word
The Cardrona Hotel campaign wasn’t just about selling a building. It was about honouring a legacy, engaging a nation, and showing what’s possible when strategy meets story.
Want to talk about how we can do the same for your brand or property? Let’s chat.
