A travel agent has created a festive video to entertain her clients, and raise her profile. Not Just Travel agent Gilly Bachelor enlisted the help of her team – and even clients’ grown-up children – to create what she describes as a “Christmas video that is delightfully ridiculous in all the best ways”.
The 3.5-minute video, called ‘The Christmas Trip Conspiracy’ stars Gilly herself, and a “leading couple” Rhiana and Olly, whose mums are both loyal clients of Gilly Bachelor Travel.
Also featured are office dog, Daisy, and two of her furry friends, Amber and Ruby, along with Stephanie Minton, who helps Gilly with admin, and Zappa Haughton, who joined the travel business as marketing lead six months ago.
“I love cosy, predictable Christmas films, where someone inherits a bakery, meets a handsome local, who can fix fairy lights perfectly every time and of course there is a dog.
“And so our video – packed with cheesy Christmas clichés, dodgy accents, gentle humour and plenty of festive spirit – provides an uplifting little escape at the busiest time of the year.”
Inspired by her favourite films which include The Muppet Christmas Carol, Gilly’s video has Christmas decorations, music, and even fake snow. She says the reaction from clients so far has been really positive.
“They’ve laughed a lot,” she says. “We didn’t want it to be salesy. The goal was to entertain our existing clients, create something fun that might go viral, and raise our profile in a friendly, approachable way – we wanted to put out something that reflects our business ethos.”
The Staffordshire-based travel agent estimates it took about half a day to film, before it was edited by Zappa.
“I wrote the script and we went early with the Christmas decorations,” explains Gilly, “then we had a rehearsal and filmed the telephone scene in about two hours. A week later, we shot the rest in roughly two hours, and the editing took a day or more.”
The “leading couple” are not actually a couple in real life. Gilly says that Rhiana has done work experience with Gilly Bachelor Travel Expert and is now doing a teacher degree, while Olly is doing his A-levels and has done acting at school. “They were both really happy to be involved to earn some extra cash, and took it seriously, which is why filming was so quick. It was just the dogs who slowed us down!
"There were lots of comedy moments and giggles, so there's also a bloopers video to come,” she adds.
Sharing the video is also an opportunity for Gilly to show off her newly refurbished office, which she has recently spent around £40,000 on. “We’ve extended the office and created a larger client area and a board room. There are new windows, doors, heating (including a log burner), lighting, furniture, and other updates. The improvements have really opened up the space and created a warmer, more welcoming environment for our clients.”
