Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1517455
6 B M & T ••• March/April 2024 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com I N T H E N E W S VISIT TAMPA BAY UNVEILS MOST EXPANSIVE OUT-OF-STATE CAMPAIGN FOR EPIC ESCAPES Hillsborough County's Seasonal Marketing Plan Sets the Stage for Growth Brace yourself for Visit Tampa Bay's most impactful and expansive out-of-state winter campaign to date. Geared towards captivating new audiences, Visit Tampa Bay has invested $4.6 million in the campaign, which launched on January 15. The strategic initiative targets all the DMO's major U.S. and international markets, with an expanded plan that emphasizes market saturation. The new campaign, designed by FKQ Advertising and Marketing to inspire, engage, and convert audiences, reach- es targets through various mediums and partnerships, including large-scale out-of-home takeovers, digital TV, Tripadvisor, Expedia, Carvertise, Atlas Obscura, in-market activations, and more. Scheduled to run through May, the initiative spans six major legacy markets, including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C., with expansion to Atlanta, historically a summer mar- ket, Charlotte, and Michigan. International key markets, such as the UK, Germany, and Brazil, are also in focus. "In 2023, we continued our trend of setting records and maintained our commitment to stay innovative," said Santiago C. Corrada, President & CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. "With this intensive campaign, we will unveil some new origi- nal advertising tools, such as reflective Uber wraps and Alexa integration, to keep Tampa Bay top of mind for travelers, while supporting our partners." From digital streaming TV agreements with Peacock and Simplifi, Tampa Bay will foster organic viewer engagement during natural breaks across multiple plat- forms. Mass awareness will be built through large-scale out-of-home displays and with takeovers in key markets, including immersive wallscapes in New York, Chicago, and Boston. The largest-ever agreement with Expedia provides takeovers and influencers, while a new partner- ship with Tripadvisor introduces an immersive voice-acti- vated content integration with Alexa, leveraging a power- ful large language model (LLM) for a highly engaging and personalized travel planning experience. Taking to the streets, Visit Tampa Bay's strategic part- nership with Carvertise makes the DMO the first adver- tiser to utilize an innovative reflective wrap product on premium Uber and Lyft vehicles, making the vehicles 24/7 moving billboards. Additionally, full bus wraps will be seen extensively in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., highlighted by a signature statement with special illumination on double-decker buses touring Manhattan's hotspots. On the international front, Visit Tampa Bay makes a significant impact with oversized video boards at the Waterloo station in London, capturing the attention of travelers. Fully wrapped taxis navigate popular areas in Toronto, Munich, Frankfurt, and London, creating a mobile presence. Video ads featuring enticing taglines like "Hit pause on winter and relax boldly in Tampa Bay" specifically target travelers. To facilitate seamless learning and booking for international visitors, content landing pages in native languages are strategically placed on pop- ular online booking platforms.