December Dependents: How a glass of Prosecco became a regional campaign
December Dependents showcased by Destination Goulburn Valley
December Dependents: How a glass of Prosecco became a regional campaign
A case study in organic community marketing — Samantha Lewis for Destination Goulburn Valley
Where it started
I was approached by Destination Goulburn Valley to assist with partnership outreach and campaign and content ideation. It was that brief and that open. The kind of engagement I love most.
It was early November. I was sitting with a glass of Prosecco, running a mental shopping list. What do I need to stock up on? What do I need to have on hand for the season ahead?
December in the Goulburn Valley has a particular energy. People drop in. Gatherings happen. The region comes alive with visitors, locals reconnecting, tables full of food and wine and the particular warmth that only regional Australia does well. I started thinking about what I genuinely reach for during that time. The products, the producers, the local businesses that make the season what it is.
And I thought: I can't be the only one.
That question became a campaign.
The idea
December Dependents was simple by design. An invitation to the community, locals, visitors, businesses, producers, to share what they depend on in December. What they stock up on. What they gift. What they pour. What they put on the table.
No complicated mechanics. No paid amplification. No overproduced content strategy. Just a genuine, open question pointed at a community that already had the answer.
The best campaign ideas don't manufacture feeling. They locate it.
December Dependents worked because it was true. It reflected something the Goulburn Valley already knew about itself. That this is a region worth depending on, worth celebrating, worth showing up for.
What happened
The campaign evolved organically and beautifully. Businesses got behind it. Visitors shared it. Locals claimed it. It became a rolling, community generated expression of pride and appreciation for everything the region produces and offers.
Within three weeks, Destination Goulburn Valley's social media accounts recorded their highest growth since the organisation's inception.
Not through paid reach. Not through influencer partnerships or boosted posts. Through an idea that met the community exactly where they were.
What it demonstrated
Regional marketing works best when it reflects genuine community identity rather than projecting an aspirational version of it. People don't share what they're told to share. They share what's true.
December Dependents was true. It was a public show of love for this region and the team behind it were ultimately the stakeholders and visitors alike. Those who live here, visit here, and love being here.
That's the magic of a good idea meeting the right community at the right time.
The role I played
I was brought in to generate ideas and drive partnership outreach. December Dependents was one of those ideas. From the initial concept through to execution, the campaign was built on a simple insight drawn from lived experience of the region and a genuine belief that the Goulburn Valley community would show up for it.
They did.
Samantha Lewis is a brand strategist, storyteller, and experience design consultant based in the Goulburn Valley corridor. She works with regional tourism bodies, destination marketing organisations, and experience led businesses to develop campaigns, content, and brand strategy that connect with communities.