Leisure/Tourism Marketing Campaign - Under $250,000

In-house or Agency?: In-house

Description:: Why this worked:

Visit Garland’s app runs on Visit Widget, which is a location-based platform and helps guide visitors throughout Garland.We used the platform’s interactive capabilities to present the clues to scavenger hunters. Using the app, participants viewed the clues on parchment background that almost seemed to appear and float in the air.We also gave participants the option of downloading a map, which offered participation to those who feel intimidated by the app.

The prize was a Garland t-shirt with one of the new designs from a local artist.It’s a great way to help locals feel pride for Garland and help us market as they wear their t-shirt around and out of town.

MARKETING:

The scavenger hunt has a dedicated landing page with all the information for downloading the map, how to use the interactive app, tips and how and where to claim the prize. The hunt was announced in the city newspaper, the city website and newsletter and its social channels as well as Visit Garland and Landmark Museum’s social channels. A dedicated landing page was created on VisitGarlandTX.com and a paid ad was placed on TourTexas.com. We also had posters in kiosks around the square.

Objectives: We collaborated with the Garland Landmark Museum to encourage more foot traffic on the downtown square and into the museum. The museum hosts regular scavenger hunts for its patrons that are generally an older audience and was interested in connecting with a younger audience.

To that end, a digital scavenger hunt was created utilizing the Visit Garland interactive app. The hunt offered eight clues to various historical spots on the downtown square.Using those clues, participants needed to gather eight correct images that they could present at the museum or Visitor Information Center in exchange for a Garland t-shirt.

We used an old parchment map image as part of the design to give it an Indiana Jones feel and mentioned Indy’s fedora as a nod to the many hat producers in Garland.In this case, the fedora was made by Garland’s Milano Hat Company. The fedora was a perfect reference since the fedora Indiana Jones is always saving is a Milano Hat.

Project Costs:: $2,200: app cost, print, web banner, and t-shirt cost.

In-house or Agency?: Agency

Description: In late 2020, a local agency, CW Designs with whom we'd contracted to do tear-off maps for us, applied for a grant from our board. They were creating a virtual tours map to feature local businesses and attractions and wanted to partner with us on the creation of some 360-degree virtual tours of our hotels to be incorporated into this new website. Corporate, association, and SMERF planners, youth sports groups, and leisure travelers are now able to access this map and its videos via both the Virtual Town Tours website and Visit McKinney's. The videos not only show travelers what to expect in the lobby, gym, dining areas, and guest rooms but also to view any available meeting space in those that offer it.

In-house or Agency?: Agency

Description:: Visit Tyler partnered with Visit Kilgore & Visit Longview to create the East Texas Adventure & Outdoor Pass, which includes indoor & outdoor attractions, with locations that range from leisurely to extreme adventure. We wanted everyone to be able to complete their 10 check-ins, no matter how adventurous they may or may not be. All the pass holder has to do is complete 10 check-ins, and their name goes into a drawing for a weekend get-away.

Objectives: We created the Outdoor and Adventure pass because Tyler & East Texas, in general, has a lot of great outdoor space that make people feel safe while traveling to this area. We wanted to highlight those attractions, especially during this time, but also wanted to include some indoor attractions that are more on the adventurous side.

The pass is also a great resource for those who are choosing staycations and/or road trips, which has become a huge leisure travel trend over the past year.

Project Costs:: $8,500 divided equally between our 3 cities, so it was only $2,833.33 each.

In-house or Agency?: In-house

Description:: Alpine, Marfa and Fort Davis partnered to develop a series of full-page print advertorials, enabling each partner to have a more substantial magazine presence than any of them could otherwise easily afford. The advertorial format presents as a single-page magazine feature to increase the likelihood that a person browsing through the magazine might linger and spend more time than they would with a traditional display ad. Features were on Night Life (stargazing and live music), and Outdoor Activities (for COVID safety) with general-audience and motorcycling versions.

Objectives:: To broaden the partner's reach in statewide magazines, including Texas Parks & Wildlife, Austin Monthly, Authentic Texas and Ride Texas.