Walibi launches new Kondaa TV campaign, created by Emakina
Belgium’s favourite theme park Walibi, together with its strategic and creative partner Emakina, has just unveiled an exhilarating new TV campaign transporting viewers to the mystical jungle where the legendary Kondaa lives. The two commercials – one aimed at families, the other tailored to adventure seekers – will entice viewers to experience the park’s award-winning thrills this summer. It's appearing on TV and streaming channels across Belgium as well as in France. It’s also coming to cinemas soon.
Building on an epic launch
The Kondaa is the highest, fastest, and most anticipated megacoaster Benelux has ever seen – the pinnacle of a 100-million-euro investment plan. When Kondaa was first launched in 2021, soon after the nationwide lockdown, Emakina made sure that no Belgian could miss this stand-out opening. The agency created a 360° campaign with a four-episode web series that mixed fiction and documentary. Teasers on social networks caught the eyes of media, influencers, and even Belgian national channels. The park was also promoted through native content, billboards, radio spots and print media.
The result: Walibi broke all ticket sales records since the park reopened in May 2021. On launch day, it saw a 34% increase in ticket sales, while in the first two weeks, 58,000 visitors registered on the dedicated web page. As the park was already sold out and the buzz created to good, the TV campaign was postponed for a year.
Making a comeback this summer season
The booming 2021 summer season was interrupted by the unthinkable when the park was hit hard by floods and was forced to close for ten weeks for repairs, testing and safety procedures. With another exciting summer season on the horizon, Walibi asked Emakina to capture the hearts and minds of young and old once again with the story of a 5000-year-old beast coming to life. Fortunately, the agency already had two riveting commercials ready to air, shot in lush Costa Rican greenery in 2021.
Emakina’s creative team conceptualised two action-packed adverts which appeal to two very different audiences – families and young fun seekers. In the family-friendly execution, a couple meander through a thick forest of Bajos del Toro until they discover the imposing skeleton of the Kondaa beast, while the thrill seekers race through the forest until they jump into a dramatic waterfall – filmed in the picturesque La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park.
The Tabasco Directors Corantin Parmentier and Basile Vuillemin oversaw the shoot direction, while Bailly Production and local producer Noelia Elizondo made sure everything ran smoothly on set. The entire creation, from storyboard and production to music, was run by Emakina’s in-house team, fully immersing viewers in a mystical world.
Walibi-Aqualibi CMO Alexis Nuyt joined the team during the six-day shoot in the jungle. “This unforgettable shoot was yet another example of the teamwork and friendship we’ve experienced with Emakina during this campaign”, said Nuyt. “We look forward to how Walibi fans respond to the magical Kondaa story told in these commercials.”
Walibi is one of the most famous theme parks in Benelux, offering exhilarating rides and attractions for all ages since it was created in 1975. Since a new investment plan by Compagnie des Alpes in 2016, fresh attractions and experiences are added to the park every year.
Says Tim Wolfs, MD of Emakina.BE: “Walibi has beaten many odds to continue to be a highly successful and much-loved Belgian institution. We hope we’ll continue to exceed their expectations to further boost their leading position in the world of innovative theme parks.”
