Seattle

Convention and visitor bureaus throughout the world produce cutting-edge marketing campaigns that are winning awards and making statements. The creative genius behind CVB promotional strategies not only fuel buzz that impact tourism and meetings, but help destinations tell their unique stories.

Starting Jan. 9, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau will launch a new global marketing and advertising campaign that will feature three transgender models. Fort Lauderdale will became the world’s first destination to use transgender models in mainstream destination advertising.

“I’m proud that we continue to be a leader in marketing innovation,” says Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of the CVB. “We’ve established a popular and highly recognized destination brand presence that reflects the authentic experiences that people today, regardless of age, gender, religion or race, seek when they travel.”

The advertising campaign will appear in print, digital, television, radio and social media throughout South Florida, New York, Boston and Chicago. It will be featured in national outlets such as New York Times’ T Magazine, USA Today Travel Magazine, Passport, ManAboutWorld as well as on Spotify, Pandora, Hulu and in the destination’s collateral, website and e-blasts.

The campaign debuted in New York City on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, with a billboard video in Times Square featuring Isabella Santiago, a Venezuelan model and 2014 Miss World Transgender. The video was a backdrop to New York City’s famous New Year’s Eve ball drop. The campaign showcases some of the destination’s most popular areas, including Fort Lauderdale Beach, Hallandale Beach, Deerfield Beach and Wilton Manors.

Visit Seattle earned accolades from Ad Age, which named the CVB among the among top 10 global brands following a promotional video it created in partnership with Vox. Been There, Made That is a video that features New York-based Grammy-nominated musician Emily King enjoying an inspirational journey through Seattle and the original song that resulted from her visit.

The Seattle CVB collaborated with content partners to bring the city to life through the eyes of artists, artisans, musicians, and makers. This year, Visit Seattle will partner with Sundance and five notable filmmakers whose films about Seattle will debut at the Sundance Film Festival Jan. 24 in Park City, Utah.

“The video content we have created has proven to be an incredibly powerful and effective tool in generating awareness of our destination in an entertaining, engaging, and memorable way,” says Ali Daniels, vice president of marketing for Visit Seattle. “We are excited to blaze a new trail with Sundance and five filmmakers who created Seattle shorts in our latest undertaking, Project Five by Five.”

Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA) was named the world’s leading tourist board by the prestigious World Travel Awards in December. Miami Beach was chosen by more than 1 million industry voters over Auckland Tourism, Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau, Cape Town Tourism, Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau, Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administrative Commission and Visit London.

According to Peggy Benua, board chair for MBVCA, the award is a testament to the global appeal of Miami Beach.

“This award, is a symbol of Miami Beach’s worldwide presence and certainly demand for our brand. We’re honored to have been considered, but to actually win this impressive and prominent award is an incredible endorsement of all MBVCA is doing to share Miami Beach with the world.”

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