Challenge: Nebraska is typically seen as a fly-over state with very few attractions. And even though tourism is the state’s third largest source of revenue, Nebraska suffers from one of the smallest marketing budgets in the region. How do we maximize a limited budget to convince potential visitors to choose Nebraska over other nearby states?
Solution: We created a series of campaigns to market and promote travel to the state through the eyes of the people that know it best: our locals. The most recent campaign, “Through My Eyes”, promotes the state through true stories from Nebraskans who know every corner of the state, from the plains in the east to the Sandhills and buttes of the west. We created a series of eight :30 spots used for TV and pre-roll, 360 videos, several print ads used throughout targeted publications, behaviorally targeted and retargeted display ads, and most importantly, overhauled the state’s website to not only showcase the professionally-produced stories, but also allow any Nebraskan to be part of the campaign by sharing his or her own local perspective to aid prospective travelers.
Through My Eyes Magazine Ads
VisitNebraska.com Homepage
Comparison of VisitNebraska.com Traffic, 07/01/13 – 06/30/14 to 07/01/14 – 06/30/15 to 07/01/15 – 06/30/16 to 07/01/16 – 06/30/17
Comment from a VisitNebraska.com Through My Eyes Story
Results: In addition to unifying the industry and Nebraskans behind a common tourism initiative, unique visitors to VisitNebraska.com—the call to action for all advertising—increased by 74% year over year, and over 125% compared to two years ago. Organic site traffic rose 48% year over year. Lodging revenue increased 6.45% year over year, and the number of travel guides requested increased by over 91% in 2017 compared to 2016. The email newsletter audience also grew by 48% in just one year. Most importantly, stories of Nebraskans connecting with travelers from around the world continue to roll in, reaffirming our belief that the best travel guides really are our locals. Our work was featured in Advertising Age, Communication Arts and even earned a Platinum award from Graphis.
Agency: Bailey Lauerman
Role: Associate Creative Director, Head of Digital
Role: Associate Creative Director, Head of Digital
