When you’re the only destination marketer on staff, wearing multiple hats is the norm. For Cheree Morrison, who leads destination marketing at Whangarei District Council, being a one-person team hasn’t slowed her down—in fact, it’s helped her get creative and scrappy in all the right ways.
“I like to tell people I’m an octopus, with arms in a variety of departments,” she jokes. “You never know what kind of activations and opportunities will pop up just by being in the room and talking to the right people.”
With a background in journalism and more than a decade of experience writing for lifestyle and travel magazines in New Zealand, Cheree stepped into her current role in April 2024, ready to bring Whangārei’s story to life.
Connecting People to Place with Visuals
Telling that story requires a steady stream of high-quality, authentic imagery—and the tools to use them efficiently across platforms.
“Destination marketing isn’t just about place, it’s about people,” she says. “And my role allows me to showcase our operators and create opportunities for them. We’re a bit of a hidden gem in Aotearoa, so I love nothing more than hearing people say, ‘Wow, I had no idea Whangārei was so beautiful/interesting/fun/great!’”
With no design or development background, managing WhangareiNZ.com solo was a big learning curve. That’s where CrowdRiff is a game-changer.
“CrowdRiff has been incredibly helpful. It’s a quick and easy solution to some of our image restrictions, and makes the page look fresh and modern.”
Cheree uses CrowdRiff for:
- Social media curation
- Website galleries
- A public photo library
- Media sharing through the Media Hub
- Trade show visuals via Photo Wall
Turning Visuals into Value
✅ Add visual flair to the website
“The galleries have been great. The backend of our website has some image limitations, so being able to showcase multiple images at once is a huge win. It’s easy to use and keeps the site engaging.”
✅ Make a splash at trade events
At TRENZ 2025, Aotearoa’s biggest trade tourism event, Cheree used a CrowdRiff Photo Wall to keep Whangārei front and center—even when she was away from the booth.
“Several people commented on how professional it looked, and it was incredibly easy to use.”
✅ Get more mileage from content campaigns
When she partnered with the travel app Roady for a photo and video refresh, Cheree used CrowdRiff to maximize distribution across platforms.
“I used CrowdRiff to distribute the images, including shared albums, public library, galleries, and the photo wall. It helped me get value out of the photos and made them easy to access.”
The Roady Top 10 campaign reached 1.6 million+ views on social, and her fast-thinking blog post provided a much-needed link back to local businesses, amplifying the campaign’s value.
Why CrowdRiff is the Right Fit
When Cheree stepped into the role, CrowdRiff was already in place, but the budget-conscious team needed to evaluate its return.
“Being a district council, our budgets are ratepayer-funded. We’re very conscious of how we spend money. I spent time making sure we were using it to its full potential, and I’ve found it offers good value.”
Regular support and updates from her Customer Success Manager help her stay in the loop. “Sean has been great at making sure I’m aware of new tools and how to maximize our use, which I really appreciate.”
Advice for Fellow Small-but-Mighty Teams
- Get to know the tools. “Take the time to play and test, and dig deeper. It took me a while to get my head around the different features, but it was worth it.”
- Use Media Hub to streamline image sharing. “It’s a big timesaver and solves several issues around sharing images. It’s something we’re always evolving and growing.”
- Lean on the support team. “They’re invaluable. I appreciate the regular check-ins and quick responses—it’s become a fantastic asset in this role.”
With a clear strategy and the right tools, Cheree is proving that small teams can deliver big results.
Thank you, Cheree, for taking the time to share your story!
Have a successful campaign or journey of your own to share? We’d love to hear it—send it our way.
