Embracing nostalgia and innovation at Luna Park Sydney with Michelle Rowling
How does an iconic amusement park stay relevant in a fast-changing world?
Luna Park Sydney has been delighting generations for nearly a century — but staying fresh in a fast-paced world takes more than just a nostalgic smile. At the helm of its evolution is Michelle Rowling, Head of Sales and Marketing, who’s masterfully balancing heritage with forward-thinking strategy.
Using nostalgia to your advantage
Luna Park's rich history isn’t just a backdrop — it’s central to its appeal. "We're an Art Deco heritage-listed amusement park, one of the rarest in the world, and it's really important for us to pay homage and respect to that history," Michelle emphasises. This deep emotional connection has become a cornerstone of the park’s brand. Generations of families continue to visit, drawn by shared memories and timeless experiences. "We've had stories where you can see entire multi-generational families coming to Luna Park," she shares. During tough economic times, those memories become even more valuable. Michelle explains the importance of reminding people what makes Luna Park special — even when budgets are tight. "It's about making sure that we can remind people of that...in these testing times, cost of living, et cetera, we are worth saving for, we are worth your last dollar. And ultimately, you can't create those memories any other way.”
Capitalising on customer experience
Nostalgia is powerful, but in today’s digital landscape, it’s not enough on its own. That’s where user-generated content (UGC) shines. "I think the usability and shareability for us, the quality is second to none. There's been content we've reshared that's user-generated...they've done a bloody good job," says Michelle. Michelle sees every guest as a potential storyteller. "I think it's about sourcing content from every angle and every opportunity that we have," she explains. By empowering guests to share their own Luna Park stories, the park maintains a vibrant and relatable online presence.
Scoring strategic partnerships
To expand its reach, Luna Park has leaned into bold, buzz-worthy collaborations. One of the most impactful? Partnering with Netflix to bring global entertainment experiences to Sydney. "Netflix is a huge IP. Everyone knows. And if they haven't heard of Squid Game or Stranger Things, they're going to go and watch it now because they want to be a part of it before it comes to Luna Park," Michelle says. These events are attracting an entirely new wave of visitors — beyond just thrill-seekers."It's attracting corporates. It's attracting tourists. It's attracting uni students. It's attracting a broad range of people who might not necessarily be coming to Luna Park for a rollercoaster. They're coming there because of the Squid Game experience or the IP and the opportunity that's brought to the park, which has definitely diversified our audience."
Leaning into AI
As the marketing landscape evolves, Luna Park isn’t just keeping up — it’s stepping confidently into the future. For Michelle, embracing innovation, especially AI, is non-negotiable. "AI is here to optimise marketing, not replace it. We need to ensure our brand cuts through the noise," she asserts. Her message to marketers? Don't fear the change — ride it. "If you're not being talked about...you're not going to be front and centre when AI pulls up, 'What should I do in Sydney this weekend?’...every AI tool we are receiving, our customers are receiving too. So if you can't cut through those algorithms by being advocated for and the first to mind, you're not going to survive...we need to be making sure that we are front of mind and being advocated for by our guests so that we can punch through the algorithms. There's no other way."
####
This episode of The CMO Show was brought to you by host Mark Jones, producers Kate Zadel and Kirsten Bables and audio engineers Ed Cheng and Daniel Marr. This is an edited excerpt of the podcast transcript.
####
Mark Jones
So picture this. You are a brand that's really well known. Everybody knows who you are and what you do. You've got to do something to become even more relevant. You've got to stay part of the conversation. What does it take?
Hello, welcome to the CMO Show. I'm Mark Jones. Thanks for joining us. The CMO Show is a podcast brought to you by Impact Institute in partnership with our friends at Adobe. Now, if I said Luna Park to you, what's the first thing that comes to mind? I reckon there's a good chance it's fun. It's that big smiley face at the front of the park. What an incredible place that's been, a big part of the Sydney landscape for such a long time. Well, my guest today is Michelle Rowling. She is the head of sales and marketing at Luna Park Sydney, and she's here to tell us all about what it's like in her role, what it's like working at Luna Park. She's also going to do a bit of a deep dive on all the programmes, the strategies, the ideas that they've got for building out across B2B and B2C. So there's something for everybody in this show. Have a listen.
Thank you so much for joining us in the studio.
Michelle Rowling
Thank you for having me.
Mark Jones
What a thrill. Luna Park. How do you end up there?
Michelle Rowling
I am so privileged. I work at one of Australia's amazing icons. I love that when you tell someone you work at Luna Park, they know exactly where you work. It's phenomenal.
Mark Jones
And you were telling me that it's great kudos for your kids at school too, right?
Michelle Rowling
I reckon it's bought them some friendships over the time, definitely. The fact that my kids are proud of where I work, I think is a life goal achieved. They might not realise what I do or wonder why mum's not at home as much as she could be, but ultimately they're pretty proud that mum works at Luna Park.
Mark Jones
The thing that really has been on my mind when I have thought about this interview is, for everybody, it's a story, and, "That time when I went," or the memories that it evokes, the stories that are spontaneously told in reaction to the idea of Luna Park. What did it mean to you before you got the job?
Michelle Rowling
Before I got the job... I was actually in the interview, and I still remember the director at the time, he said to me, "Why do you want this job?" And I said, "Because when I tell my son and I tell my grandfather that I got this job at Luna Park, they will both be impressed, and they'll both have the same face."
And I still stick by that and I'm proud of that, and that still happens arguably on a weekly basis when I talk about my role and what I do and the fun that I've had that week, they both react with the same. They're not thinking about the marketing campaigns I've set up and the events we've sold. They're thinking about their memories on the rides and they're thinking about the last time they went there. And that's what I love, that you can pull that out of people.
Mark Jones
What are the roles that you've had before this and how did they set you up for success?
Michelle Rowling
Honestly, every role that I've had has contributed to the current role that I've got, and I'm proud of the stepping stones it's taken me to get there. So I spent about seven years at News Corp, and that was quite a while ago, if I'm honest, back when paywalls were being introduced. And it was an interesting time to be at news, but I absolutely learned a lot from that whole experience there and had some great leaders.
I then went over to a role at Bankstown Sports, so being a large hospitality venue and precinct in Sydney, known far and wide. Everyone's been to Bankstown Sports and has dined at their restaurants and bars. And that definitely gave me not only a love of hospitality, but ultimately selling fun. CEO there at the time, he used to say that we sold three sins, being gambling, drinking, and eating poorly. And while I agree, I think I used that time in my career to really lean into bringing families into having fun in new and exciting destinations.
After my time at Bankstown Sports, I went to an agency, and I was really excited by the challenge there. I think there's not many people that work client side and then head into agency world. That taught me so, so much. I have a profound admiration for the agencies, especially independent agencies that support large organisations. We command a lot from their time. And ultimately, I learned a lot that I bring into my role now, so I'm forever grateful.
And then I literally saw the ad of head of marketing at Luna Park Sydney on LinkedIn and swiped right. I just thought, wow, that would be an amazing role. I was literally putting the kids to bed and thought, yeah, she'll be right. Didn't check my resume. And landed an interview. And it was honestly, it's been life-changing. And then about a year ago I was made head of sales and marketing, so bringing the two functions together.
Mark Jones
What do you love about this work?
Michelle Rowling
I think it's that nostalgia piece and ultimately that everyone remembers coming to Luna Park. You can't have too much fun at Luna Park, and there's always a reason to come back. So arguably, whether you are there for a ticketed experience as a normal customer coming in on the weekend with your family or you're there for a large-scale event. It's an event to remember. It's something that you'll always remember. I'm basically selling memories and milestones.
Mark Jones
Now, a big picture of Luna Park. Describe what it's like as a company, as a business. What's going on for it at the moment? There's obviously been a sale and people are thinking about the future. I know that that's not the biggest thing in the world. But I'm just interested to get a sense of the company and what it's like.
Michelle Rowling
Well, the biggest thing happening for Luna Park at the moment is that it is our 90th year. So I think the fact that we're an Art Deco heritage-listed amusement park, one of the rarest in the world, and it's really important for us to pay homage and respect to that history that we have. So making sure that that history can sit with Sydneysiders and something that all Sydneysiders can be proud of, and what ultimately we can use that to bring more guests to us. Again, whether it's through ticketed experiences or through events, it's leaning into that history in our 90-year celebration.
Mark Jones
Describe the experience of being offered the sales role as well. I mean, obviously congrats because they thought, well, she can do this. But what was that like for you? And having to then think about a broader remit?
Michelle Rowling
I was definitely up for the challenge. I definitely will admit that while I had hospitality marketing experience, have I waited tables in a function? No. Have I... Is sales something that really enthrals me? Yes and no. It was definitely a new experience and a new role. I have definitely leaned into the team that I have and the skills that they have, and I stand by my role is not to actually be the head of sales. My role is to bring out the best of the sales people within my team and make sure that they're working in tandem with the event managers that essentially deliver the guest experience. So whether it's marketing or sales, it's all about guest experience.
Mark Jones
Yeah, that's great. It's been an enduring theme on the CMO Show, looking at the interconnect between sales and marketing. In fact, I remember a CMO telling me quite some time ago was that marketing fills the pond with fish and sales hooks them out. And I quite liked that way of thinking about it. How do you think about the strategies for each? How do you make sure there's a nice handoff between the messages that you're using in marketing and the sales, for example?
Michelle Rowling
So I guess from a marketing perspective, people are there for fun. They've made the decision to be there themselves. They're bringing their family and friends along. It's definitely a much easier... It's the Instagram reel, it's the content that they can create when they're there. It's a really easy thing for us to market, Luna Park Sydney. Like, how hard is it to sell tickets to Luna Park every school holidays? It's easy.
It's how we market the off-peaks that is where I get the most excitement and where I see the most, I guess, synergies between marketing and sales is how can you bring people there on a rainy day? How can you bring people there when you're competing with other things like going to the cinemas on a rainy day? So that's where I see a lot of excitement between the marketing and sales teams.
And from a sales perspective, I think it's actually marketing the events we do incredibly well so that it brings more events to us. There's no better marketing than word-of-mouth, and the only way we're going to achieve that is if we empower the sales and functions teams to absolutely deliver their best.
Mark Jones
I wanted to say that for me, the biggest shift was when you didn't have to buy a ticket at the gate to get in. That was a huge shift in how we thought about the park. So you come in and then you buy on that basis.
Michelle Rowling
Oh, I still remember the radio and TV commercials as a child, going, "Mum, Luna Park's free." Like, "Let's go. Why wouldn't we go?"
Mark Jones
In most sales conversations, if something's not selling, you make it cheaper, people go, or they'll buy it. Are there any other levers that you think about in terms of maybe packaging up value or where you think you might get more sales in the future? Is there anything along those lines?
Michelle Rowling
Ultimately, I think the best thing about Luna Park in terms of sales and tickets is that we have kept the same prices since 2021. So since Covid, we have always been able to offer tickets from $34. So of course there's dynamic pricing and different constraints and opportunities that make that ticket price change, but ultimately we can work with our guests to make sure that Luna Park is accessible for all. So we're definitely making sure that price provisions, we are not restricting people from coming to Luna Park, and that will get them an unlimited rides pass.
We've also, in recent years, made effort to create new products. So we've bundled experiences with ride passes. We've also created new tickets, so a one and two ride pass, which is eligible on certain days for certain rides. So it's definitely not all-you-can-eat Luna Park experience, but it's enough for the tourists to have a great time. It's enough for the older person or the stay-at-home mum to come in and have a great time on the Ferris wheel.
Mark Jones
What are the segments or the audiences that you typically cater for when you think about the sales and marketing? So you mentioned tourists. Families is another one.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah, of course, of course. Look, families is our bread and butter, and ultimately there's no denying that. I think kids that are the average age of 10 to 13, they are just having a whale of a time at Luna Park, and they're really proud to be there with their mum and dad. It's a great family day out. And I think in that preteen era, I can relate. You want to do as much as you can with your kids before they stop talking to you.
Mark Jones
It's true.
Michelle Rowling
So what better way than for everyone to enjoy a day at Luna Park? So there's definitely that market there. We do see a lot of grandparents and older people coming in during the week as well as tourists.
Mark Jones
Is that right?
Michelle Rowling
Yeah. And mums and bubs on the Ferris wheel. I think the Ferris wheel and the carousel are completely accessible. So whether you're-
Mark Jones
That's beautiful.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah. If going on a thrill ride is not something you can muster, we still have something for you. So, definitely all areas.
Mark Jones
What would you say then you've learnt about bringing those two people? And going back to that comment about leadership, and if you were to sit down with one of your peers in a different sector, what would you say you've learnt about bringing those two together in your role?
Michelle Rowling
Both are just as equal as one another, and both are ultimately delivering value to guests. So while the guests might be different, we're talking B2B, B2C. Ultimately, the end game is exactly the same, and I think we have to acknowledge that we're not competing with anyone or any place or anything. We're competing with entertainment and hospitality. So I think in this day and age, if you can be entertained or have a hospitable experience somewhere else, I'm competing for your time and your share of wallet.
Mark Jones
Was that something you spent a lot of time reflecting on from a strategic point when you joined the organisation?
Michelle Rowling
Definitely. I think you don't... There's, I guess, obstacles to get to Luna Park. And what I mean by that is commanding time and attention from your family and friends that you'd like to go with. Physically getting there. It is a big day out, and going out is expensive. So to overcome those challenges, how are we going to do that in a marketing and a sales environment? And it's about showing up for the guest and making sure that we have the best experience. So any frustrations or hurdles that they've overcome to actually get there, all is lost when they're on the road or having a great time on the Dipper. Every woe in their life is gone for that millisecond and they're creating a great time at Luna Park.
Mark Jones
That's actually a really good point actually, which is the distraction, what we enjoy about getting lost in a movie, for example. Now, from a campaign point of view, programmes and plans, what's on the radar? What fun stuff are you working on?
Michelle Rowling
Oh, look, well, we've got our 90th year, as I've mentioned, so there's quite a celebration in the works for... Towards the end of the year, we'll be celebrating that quite rigorously. Our 90th birthday is the 4th of October, so we're looking forward to that. We have just announced our new Stranger Things experience, so that's in partnership with Netflix. That's off the back of an absolute sellout Squid Game experience that we launch in our big top.
Mark Jones
Partnerships.
Michelle Rowling
Yes.
Mark Jones
Yeah, that's a big deal.
Michelle Rowling
Huge deal.
Mark Jones
Tell me how that came about.
Michelle Rowling
Netflix is a team effort from our wider leadership team. So I think that's actually something that we should all be really proud of, is that we've all worked together to bring that to Luna Park and ultimately bring that to Sydney in the Southern Hemisphere. There's no one else bringing these experiences Down Under. And Netflix is a huge IP. Everyone knows. And if they haven't heard of Squid Game or Stranger Things, they're going to go and watch it now because they want to be a part of it before it comes to Luna Park. So it's amazing. I had a call with the US this morning, working for a Sydney icon is opening up global communication. It's pretty awesome.
Mark Jones
I mean, they want to talk to you.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah.
Mark Jones
It's pretty easy.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah. And we've done really, really well together.
Mark Jones
That's amazing.
Michelle Rowling
I think we've done them proud. It's the highest rated experience, Squid Game experience globally.
Mark Jones
I have to ask, does anyone die?
Michelle Rowling
No. No. It's all the fun and nothing like that. You challenge the Front Man, you challenge your mates, everyone leaves smiling, everyone leaves accounted for.
Mark Jones
How does it work? What actually happens in the experience?
Michelle Rowling
The experience has been curated by some of Sydney's leading creative minds. So that's something that Squid Game in particular is really interesting is that it's not just a experience you can get over in another part of the world. It has been in New York, it has been in San Paulo, but we've actually recreated the experience, obviously with close watch from Netflix. They approve absolutely everything that goes in.
So there's games from the actual series. I don't want to spoil it too much for people that haven't been, but you move through the experience, going through those games and challenges, essentially collecting tokens, and then challenge the Front Man at the end. It gets young adults into Luna Park. It's attracting corporates. It's attracting tourists. It's attracting uni students. It's attracting a broad range of people who might not necessarily be coming to Luna Park for a rollercoaster. They're coming there because of the Squid Game experience or the IP and the opportunity that's brought to the park, which has definitely diversified our audience.
Mark Jones
And I heard the corporate reference there, which means that you're getting some of those team building day dollars, right?
Michelle Rowling
Absolutely. Yeah, team building days, social engagements, we've seen them all come through. We had Sydney FC go through the other week as a team building experience. So yeah, it's still attracting a lot of ticket sales, which is really great.
Mark Jones
And they weren't tempted to play soccer in the middle of it all?
Michelle Rowling
No, they had a great time. They had a really, really great time.
Mark Jones
What are you learning about those sorts of partnerships? What's the ah-ha you've had in... How do you make them successful?
Michelle Rowling
I think it's definitely the collaboration and the coordination, and it's definitely taught me a lot about working with IP. In previous roles, I haven't had that opportunity and haven't had that exposure. So it's a lot more than brand integrity. Especially with Stranger Things, we're accountable to the Duffer Brothers. We have to make sure that we do their experience well. So we're working really, really hard with the Netflix team to make sure that we can do that. And ultimately, it's an incredible team of creatives that we've got here working for us to bring things to life.
Mark Jones
And what impact did it have in terms of reach and scale? Because obviously when you combine two brands like this, you double or triple your reach.
Michelle Rowling
Well, that's the whole idea. So previously to these experiences coming to Luna Park Sydney, we were operating an incredible amusement park with arguably some underutilised spaces adjacent. And those spaces were used for some phenomenal events, some phenomenal experiences. People will talk fondly of conferences and things that they've had at Luna Park. And by all means, they're still there, but it's making sure that we can maximise the space use throughout day and night. So that's what those experiences are bringing to us.
Mark Jones
Now, is it fair to say that as all of this partnership work evolves, you're actually playing in B2B and B2C spaces at the same time?
Michelle Rowling
Simultaneously, yes.
Mark Jones
Right. And what's that like?
Michelle Rowling
It's actually really interesting, because ultimately we need to service both types of guests, and the demand, it's sort of a race to the finish, right? Because those sessions, they've got a limited capacity. So if a corporate books one out, it's booked one out, and that closes it off for the consumers. So it is a tricky one to navigate, and we do try and balance that so that everyone can have a fair opportunity to come to those experiences.
Mark Jones
Yeah, that's amazing. So good. What are you doing to actually make all of this go from a tech point of view? You mentioned you got a small, nimble team.
Michelle Rowling
Yes.
Mark Jones
How does the whole thing work?
Michelle Rowling
Look, so since arriving at Luna Park three years ago, three and a half years ago, we have changed our tech stack a lot in my time there, which has been a really great process to work on from the ground up. One I will call out is we've completely rebuilt our website. We're now on Adobe Experience Manager.
Mark Jones
Nice.
Michelle Rowling
So that has definitely helped us in terms of getting to know our customer more and also being as nimble and responsive as we can to guest needs. We've still got a way to go on there and we're working with Adobe very closely to maximise the output.
Mark Jones
So cool. Obligatory AI question.
Michelle Rowling
Yes.
Mark Jones
What do you reckon? Do like how general that question was? There's like a hundred things you could say about it. I just like, you know, "Over to you."
Michelle Rowling
"What do you think?" I figured it was coming.
Mark Jones
Yeah.
Michelle Rowling
So AI, to be honest, I don't think it's here to streamline marketing or take marketing jobs. I think it's here to optimise marketing. I think it's here to optimise sales. And I think that if we use it right, it will be great for us. What I think we as an industry should be doing is funnelling our fears and frustrations into empowering our brand, because I don't think that any brand will survive the next phase of AI unless they have the brand integrity and the brand advocacy from customers. And the reason I say that is every AI tool we are receiving, our customers are receiving too. So if you can't cut through those algorithms by being advocated for and the first to mind, you're not going to survive.
Mark Jones
Can you give me an example of what that might look like?
Michelle Rowling
I guess what I'm talking to is how easy AI makes transacting. So I'm planning a holiday, I'm planning a day out with friends, I don't know where to start. This is beyond Google on steroids. This is stuff we've never seen before. So what's really exciting is that every guest, or every guest we might not have even met yet, is going to be just as empowered as us to find us and to make a decision about how they're going to spend their dollar. And I think we need to be making sure that we are front of mind and being advocated for by our guests so that we can punch through the algorithms. There's no other way.
Mark Jones
We're now in a more-is-more era, as I call it, which is more content, more personalised content at scale, which in turn is what's driving search results out of AI engines because they kind of rank and rely on volume.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah.
Mark Jones
Right?
Michelle Rowling
That's what I'm saying. If you're not-
Mark Jones
But this is a giant mindset shift for marketing.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah. If you're not being talked about, if you're not being reviewed, if you're not being thought of by a customer, you're not going to be front and centre when AI pulls up, "What should I do in Sydney this weekend?" Or, "How do I spend my last hundred dollars?" Ultimately, I think that's where we need to be channelling our efforts and energy is making sure that our brand will cut through.
Mark Jones
Isn't that interesting? It means brand awareness activities that we might've previously thought about in a less direct influence on sales mindset actually become quite strategic.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah. I was at a conference just recently, and I can't remember what the guy said, but I was in awe of how he literally, "AI plan a holiday." Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, holiday comes out. "Now book it." And was like, they didn't have to touch a button. So if Luna Park wasn't listed just there, I'm out. What are we going to do?
Mark Jones
Well, what are you going to do? And by the way, that's Agentic AI too. That's the jargon there. But yeah, what are you going to do?
Michelle Rowling
We're going to make sure that we're breathing, walking, talking Luna Park as being the latest and greatest experience destination, globally renowned, 90 years young.
Mark Jones
Amazing. I love that. That's sharp and clear. Have you worked on that? Is that...
Michelle Rowling
Have I what?
Mark Jones
You sounded like you rehearsed that. That was great.
Michelle Rowling
No.
Mark Jones
That just sort of came straight out.
Michelle Rowling
It's not really here. I'm being honest. It's not here.
Mark Jones
Not in your notes. So you should rewind that one and write it down. I think that's really cool. So 90 years young, I quite like. What about... So the scale of content again is still really important. We want people to be really socialising this. Social media is going to be a big part of that.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah, yeah. I think even in my short time at Luna Park, even something as simple as the guest inquiries for, "Can I bring a GoPro on your rides?" Before, it was every week, every month you get a couple of inquiries. Now it's every weekend. We're getting tagged in people's content. We're getting tagged in people's streams. One minute they've got POV of a rollercoaster, next minute they're challenging the Front Man. So the variety in what the content that people are able to create has just been phenomenal. And I think the usability and reshareability for us, the quality is second to none. There's been content we've reshared that's user-generated content that, heck, I can't produce it like that. They've done a bloody good job.
Mark Jones
Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's a lot of amazing tech out there you can use to do this stuff, right?
Michelle Rowling
Yeah. And they're the ones that are advocating for us. And we've got some leading influencers begging to come back to us, and our PR agency's saying, "How did you land them?" And we're like, "They're asking to come to us. They just do it for tickets."
Mark Jones
They're doing it for tickets. That's it. Which is a nice change in the influencing space, I think.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah.
Mark Jones
Instead of paying them so much. I don't know if I'm allowed to say that. I am really quite intrigued by this. How much content do you think you're going to need to make?
Michelle Rowling
We need to be making content every single day. And we do. And we build a bank of it. And we engage with some of the great people that have created and shared content with us. We're bold. We reach out and ask, "Have you got any more?"
Mark Jones
Yeah.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah. I think it's about sourcing content from every angle and every opportunity that we have. And I think it's that breadth of content as well. So showing our experiences, showing our park, and showing our events in the best light. And ultimately, the person who booked the event is the one that's going to showcase it the best. Geely cars just did their launch in our big top, and the content they created was absolutely phenomenal. Yeah, it was a really proud moment, and we just clicked share on LinkedIn.
Mark Jones
Imagine them paying you to make content that then spreads your brand around the place.
Michelle Rowling
Oh, no comment.
Mark Jones
Maybe we should edit that bit out, but that's what came to mind. That's pretty-
Michelle Rowling
No, but it's true, right? People book events, people buy tickets, and then help us market it. It's great.
Mark Jones
Yeah. Look, I think you're making a whole bunch of our listeners really upset right now, and they're like, "How can I do that?" That could be the takeaway right there. The fun thing about this is when you think about your content and becoming more of a publishing house, I wonder what is a great story from your point of view? What really makes a great story?
Michelle Rowling
I think it's those intergenerational ones that we see. So we've had stories where you can see entire multi-generational families coming to Luna Park and having an incredible day. But the ones that really strike a chord with me is when you've got user-generated content of a child growing up with Luna Park. So they're sending in photos over time. We just opened our Wild Mouse ride, and that was a relaunch of a heritage-listed rollercoaster.
Mark Jones
Oh, nice.
Michelle Rowling
And we called out for content. And that rollercoaster had been there since the sixties. So we had people talking about their journeys and their experiences and their memories of riding the Wild Mouse and why they wanted to bring their families back.
Mark Jones
So it's the heartstrings.
Michelle Rowling
Yeah, definitely. Definitely. They're the best stories.
Mark Jones
What's on the radar? Obviously there's opportunities and there could be, I don't know, threats. Do people still go to Luna Park in the winter?
Michelle Rowling
Yeah, look, we are very seasonal, but people do come to Luna Park in the winter. I even think these coming April school holidays, you're going to the Easter show or you're going to Luna Park. You've got to do one. So we are definitely throughout the year peaks and troughs, but I think what's ahead for us is making sure that we can spread our audience and bring people in our off-peak. I think that's really, really important for us, and something we're achieving well. Achieving very, very well.
Mark Jones
You'll also be flat out right through till the big day in October, right?
Michelle Rowling
Of course. Yeah.
Mark Jones
So can you give us a sense of the campaign elements you're planning to roll out?
Michelle Rowling
I think the main thing that I'd like to talk to is that it will be bringing back the history of Luna Park Sydney and reminding Sydneysiders and other interested parties that ultimately we are 90 years young and we've been there since 1935. So we're part of the social and cultural fabric of Sydney. And I think what's important is the reason that our grandparents went to Luna Park back in the thirties was to escape the woes of life in the Great Depression. There was a big smiling face on the side of the harbour. And here we are in life's challenges and struggles that we have even today coming to Luna Park for the exact same reasons. So I think it's about making sure that we can remind people of that. And even in these testing times, cost of living, et cetera, we are worth saving for, we are worth your last dollar. And ultimately, you can't create those memories any other way.
Mark Jones
Michelle, you're making me want to go to Luna Park.
Michelle Rowling
Lucky you know the right person.
Mark Jones
And I'm saying that like I'm cranky, but I'm really not. Thank you so much for inspiring me, for sharing a really interesting perspective on the intersection of marketing and sales and storytelling and fun. My gosh. It's amazing. Michelle Rowling, again, an absolute pleasure to have you on the CMO Show.
Michelle Rowling
Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Mark Jones
I really hope you enjoyed the interview. A little takeaway thought from me is it's a good opportunity to reflect on this conversation by thinking about the experience that's created by or through your brand. What does it feel like to use your product or to be part of the service offering? What is it like to work with the people at your company? How well do you understand what that is? It's obviously pretty simple with Luna Park. It's fun. And really understanding what that fun means in that context. I wonder what the emotion might be for you and how you make sure that everybody clearly understands what that is and how to best bring that to life. So that's my parting thought from the interview, and I'm sure you've got lots of other big ideas as well.
I want to thank you for being part of the show, for listening. And please do share the episode with anyone that you think would really enjoy this. Make sure you like and subscribe on all the usual channels. And that is it from us today. The CMO Show is a podcast brought to you by Impact Institute in partnership with Adobe. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.