Skift Take
Travel Oregon does a great job ticking every box on the online campaign checklist, and an even better job at creating beautiful original imagery to push the message along on social.
Travel Oregon thinks it is pretty wonderful, and the state tourism agency is making its biggest marketing investment ever to argue its case.
“All we can figure is whoever named the seven wonders of the world, never set foot in Oregon,” argues Travel Oregon’s new marketing campaign that launched earlier this week.
Travel Oregon is not only telling potential visitors that its attractions were forgotten during the naming of the seven wonders, but that the state’s offerings are better.
Rather than stare and snap photos of pyramids and temples, Oregon wants to get travelers involved in biking, hiking, surfing, drinking, and eating.
The $3 million marketing campaign is using TV spots, Instagram photos, and original online content to highlight what the tourism board is calling its seven state wonders: the Oregon Coast, Mt. Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake, the Painted Hills, the Wallowas and Smith Rock.
An Integrated Digital Campaign
The Seven Wonders landing page features Instagram photos of the selected attractions, itineraries and stories from Travel Oregon editors and contributors, videos on individual wonders, and, of course, strategic placements from campaign partners Alaska Airlines and local Oregon outfitters.
A 60-second ad, below, will air on TV in nearby regional markets including Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Boise, ID, and Vancouver, B.C.
“With this campaign, we aim to again inspire active travelers looking for authentic travel experiences,” says Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon, in a statement.
“By highlighting the stunning scenery and epic adventures that Oregon offers, we will motivate these explorers to choose Oregon as their vacation destination.”
Travel Oregon makes a point of highlighting how much there is to do around each ‘wonder,’ and how a diverse set of activities — from kayaking to Shakespeare plays — are within driving distance of one another.
Travel Oregon worked with several ad and creative agencies including Wieden + Kennedy, Substance, and Sparkloft Media throughout the campaign’s creation.
Getting Travelers Involved
In addition to sharing video and content on social media, Oregon is encouraging travelers to share their own photos on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #traveloregon.
Travel Oregon plans to share fans’ and travelers’ photos on its own social media channels after the campaign ends. This is similar to Pure Michigan‘s and Tourism Australia‘s social strategies, both of which rely heavily on user-generated content for social engagement.
Below is the 60-second TV spot and a video featuring Oregon’s coast:
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Photo credit: Travel Oregon highlight seven state wonders in its largest marketing campaign ever. Travel Oregon