Fair to say brands are flooding the internet with microseries. Here’s another one. Publicis Australia and Havas Media have given Contiki the micro-drama series, On Contiki, directed by Gracie Otto, who expertise at young drama was finessed on the Netflix Series, Heartbreak High. She directed seven episodes and was nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Direction.
Set in Costa Rica, the series follows four young travellers through friendship, adventure and self-discovery, translating the spirit of the brand’s new platform, GO WANDER, created to redefine how it connects with a new generation of young travellers in today’s well-travelled world. The full GO WANDER transformation includes 76 new and reimagined trips, expanded itineraries across Asia, Africa and the Americas, and new destinations including Fiji and the Maldives, all researched and curated by the Contiki team.
Watch the series as it unfolds.
On Contiki leads a full launch campaign for GO WANDER spanning earned, social and experiential channels, including a scaled creator program with Influential and an earned-first communications approach led by HERD MSL. Havas Media is supporting the launch through a globally integrated media strategy which places youth culture directly at its core and is designed across paid, owned and earned. Havas’ partnerships with TikTok and Google have given access to global and category firsts, blurring the borders of offline and digital media to reach and convert young travellers.
Toni Ambler, managing director of The Travel Corporation Oceania, & chief customer officer, Contiki, stated, “GO WANDER is a reinvention of Contiki, inspired by the pioneering spirit that’s been part of our story from the start and reimagined for a new generation of young travellers.
“With 76 new or reimagined trips, eight new travel worlds built around personal interests, and more ways to travel, we’re giving young people the freedom and choice to explore the world on their own terms. That spirit of discovery comes to life in our new digital experience, designed around how young travellers find inspiration, follow their curiosity and turn their interests into their next adventure.”
Simone Waugh, managing director, Publicis Australia, added, “GO WANDER is an example of what can happen when business and brand strategy are developed hand in hand. We identified how the next generation of travellers wants to explore the world, informed trip and experience design, redesigned the digital journey through to purchase, and repositioned the brand and how it shows up in the world through an entertainment-first approach.
“We wanted to help create a more distinctive role for Contiki and build a platform capable of driving long-term growth. By grounding every decision in evolving traveller needs and behaviours, we were able to help shape both the future direction of the brand and the experience it delivers.”
Kate O’Ryan-Roeder, chief executive officer, Havas Media Australia & New Zealand, commented, “A transformation of this scale requires a deliberately different approach to how a brand shows up in culture. Our role was to build a global media ecosystem that could bring Contiki’s new direction to life, using strategic media partnerships, entertainment-led storytelling and data-driven innovation to connect with young travellers in meaningful and culturally relevant ways. It’s a powerful example of how brands can remain true to their heritage while evolving to meet the needs of a new generation.”
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