challenge
To set Boone apart from other North Carolina mountain towns, Miles needed to capitalize on the pent-up demand for leisure travel and develop a campaign to promote Boone’s many winter recreation opportunities, especially skiing, establishing it as a snow destination that meets all travelers’ needs.
The city of Boone knew leisure travelers would welcome the opportunity to breathe crisp mountain air and experience the hush of freshly fallen snow.
solution
We determined targeting using a blend of third-party research, interest-based targeting, search data and historical web traffic insights. Then, in partnership with Visit North Carolina, we created a sweeping out-of-home (OOH) initiative that included billboard ads; digital audio placements; promotional video, display and native ads; and paid social posts directed to tried-and-true markets as well as emerging ones, such as Raleigh, Charlotte and Atlanta.
Emphasizing clarity over cleverness, our pieces relied on stunning visuals and concise calls to action. The billboard ads presented both general messaging about Boone and secondary messaging designed to increase typically lighter mid-week traffic and test a call to action focused on mid-week discounted ski rates.
We served precisely targeted social media content—using a mix of single image, carousel and video ad units—to various audiences, from adventure-seeking skiers and snowboarders to families with young children and typical leisure travelers seeking a weekend getaway. Our warm-hearted, nostalgia-evoking radio spot broadcast on iHeart across vehicles, mobile devices and smart speakers invited those interested in a mountain escape to discover Boone, the Ski Capital of the South.
Our radio spot won Best Online Travel Campaign in the Internet Advertising Competition.
results
Our integrated marketing campaign was a resounding success.
The content we developed helped spark Boone’s most successful ski season in years.
Initial results included more than 12M billboard impressions, 2M iHeart Media campaign impressions and 329K total clicks. Through a VISA Measurement study, we reported an impressive 88:1 ROI based on visitor spending in Boone after the digital ads were served. Additionally, we saw dramatic year-over-year occupancy tax increases, with January 2021 up 64% and February 2021 up 136%.