The Brief:
Following a period of absence, the iconic Caloundra Christmas Carols made its highly anticipated return to the community. Square One PR was engaged to assist on the Sunshine Coast public relations 2025 campaign on behalf of the local Council and major event sponsor, BIG4 Caloundra, alongside key sponsor Caloundra RSL. The mission was to optimise the event’s return, drive maximum attendance, and craft a multifaceted PR strategy that blended corporate sponsorship, community engagement, and authentic philanthropic give-back.
Our Strategy & Execution
We treated this project as the ultimate benchmark of an authentic, 360-degree community engagement PR campaign. By bridging the gap between local government, corporate sponsors, and grassroots community sentiment, we executed a strategy across four key pillars:
- Triple-Hit Regional Media Calls: We conceptualised and hosted two separate, highly strategic media calls leading up to the event and secured an in-studio local radio segment. By creating visually compelling and festive media opportunities, we successfully secured prime-time broadcast coverage on both media event occasions from 7NEWS Sunshine Coast, driving massive regional awareness, in addition to the fun radio segment!
- Hyper-Local Social Campaigns & Competitions: To ignite community excitement, we managed an extensive organic social media campaign. This included the ideation and roll-out of interactive social competitions designed to spike digital engagement, alongside the targeted promotion of exclusive locals-only discounts for staycations at BIG4 Caloundra.
- Premium On-Site Branding & VIP Experience: Together, we launched the experiential branding layout of the BIG4 Caloundra precinct to ensure maximum visibility for corporate partners. This included the brainstorming and promotion of the exclusive BIG4 Caloundra VIP Ticketed Area, offering an elevated, highly polished event experience for key stakeholders.
- Purpose-Driven Community Give-Back: True PR leaves a lasting legacy. Aligning with BIG4 Caloundra’s charity partner, the event supported Urban Angels (a local food security charity), integrating a fundraising element into the night’s core programming to ensure the event gave back to the very community it celebrated.
The Results
The Caloundra Christmas Carols returned flawlessly, delivering an evening of seamless logistical execution, massive community joy, and highly valuable brand alignment for all stakeholders:
- 100% Broadcast Media Success: Securing 7NEWS attendance for both pre-event media calls guaranteed consistent, top-tier television exposure across the region, positioning the sponsors as champions of local culture.
- Radio segment interview with local celebrities, who agreed to help MC and host the event – alongside the Mayor!
- $10,000+ Raised for Charity: The event raised over $5,000 on the night through community donations for Urban Angels, a sum that was generously dollar-matched by BIG4 Caloundra, resulting in a $10,000+ total impact for locals in need.
- A Lasting Legacy of Goodwill: The combination of an interactive digital competition, high-vibe on-site execution, and meaningful philanthropy achieved all client objectives—leaving a permanent footprint of community gratitude and corporate goodwill for the Council, BIG4 Caloundra, and Caloundra RSL.
The Square One Impact: This campaign represents the DNA of what we do best. By seamlessly weaving corporate sponsorship, news coverage, digital engagement, and local charity into one cohesive strategy, we didn’t just promote an event – we helped revitalise a community tradition.
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