Leveraging the buzz of Gavin & Stacey for Visit the Vale

An overview to tickle the tastebuds

When Visit the Vale sought to capitalise on the excitement surrounding the final episode of Gavin & Stacey, they turned to jamjar to create a standout campaign. With Barry Island and the Vale of Glamorgan playing a starring role in the much-loved series, this was the perfect opportunity to position the region as a must-visit destination for fans. The campaign brought the charm of Barry Island to London’s Paddington Station with an interactive activation and a supporting digital and social media strategy that engaged audiences across the UK.

Lifting the lid on the brief

Visit the Vale, the tourism arm of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, wanted to harness the buzz around Gavin & Stacey’s Christmas 2024 finale to inspire travel to the region. The objective was to maximise visibility, drive engagement, and position the Vale as a key destination for fans of the show. jamjar was tasked with creating a high-impact campaign that would generate excitement, increase website traffic, and encourage visits.

Our recipe for success

To bring Barry Island to London and beyond, jamjar devised a campaign with multiple layers of engagement:

• Paddington Station Activation: A themed stand invited commuters and travellers to immerse themselves in the world of Gavin & Stacey, featuring:

  • A photo opportunity with a Gavin & Stacey backdrop to encourage organic social sharing.
  • Nessa’s slot machine with branded prizes, adding a fun and interactive element.
  • A competition to win a Gavin & Stacey themed weekend in Barry Island, including a guided tour of filming locations on Dave’s Coaches.
  • Live fan engagement, with promotional staff chatting with visitors about the show and why they should visit the Vale of Glamorgan.

• Digital and Social Media Campaign:

  • A “Crackin’ Countdown” series on social media, building anticipation for the final episode.
  • Meta and Google advertising to drive traffic to the Visit the Vale website and competition page.
  • A dedicated Gavin & Stacey webpage with travel inspiration and filming locations.
  • Post-finale nostalgia content to keep the Vale top of mind.

Proof is in the pudding

The campaign delivered impressive results, successfully engaging audiences both online and in person:

• Paddington Station Activation:

  • An estimated footfall of 100,000–120,000, maximising exposure.
  • Hundreds of live engagements with visitors stopping to take part in the activation.
  • Organic social sharing extended visibility beyond the station.

• Website Performance:

  • 13,000 active users (+106% YoY increase).
  • 5,300 views on the Gavin & Stacey competition page.
  • 1,100 views on the Gavin & Stacey trail page.

• Digital and Social Media:

  • Google Ads: 349,000 impressions, 1,390 clicks.
  • Meta Ads: 57,653 views, 29,245 reach, 23,241 engagements.
  • Facebook organic reach: 48,824, views: 53,555.
  • Facebook page performance: 481,116 page views, 321,107 reach.

• Competition Entries:

3,750 entries for the Gavin & Stacey themed getaway.

The campaign not only captured the excitement of the final episode but also positioned the Vale of Glamorgan as a destination worth visiting. With a mix of live activation, digital amplification, and TV exposure (19.1m viewers tuning into the final episode), the campaign successfully put the Vale on the map for Gavin & Stacey fans and beyond.