Destinations Council Destiny Awards > Integrated Marketing and Messaging Campaign: Overall Marketing Budget Less Than $1 Million

Serene18 Paddle Trail

About This Entry:

Columbia County, Georgia is a phenomenal place. In fact, in October of 2020 it was named the #1 Place to Live in the U.S. by Money! Aside from great quality of life, we are not known for anything specific and have long been told by experts that we are missing a tourism “hook”. That is until now. We are thrilled to share with you how our staff of 3 not only created our hook but launched it in the middle of a pandemic with wide-spread success and marketing campaigns that went viral.

Over the last several years, we have seen a dramatic increase in paddling and water sports in our area. Largely due to being home to the Savannah River, Augusta Canal and Clarks Hill Lake (the largest lake in Georgia). With the rising popularity in paddling, several community partners begin to offer kayak rentals, guided tours and shuttles at each of these locations . These paddle partners were providing these much needed services but working independently of one another. We took notice of these efforts and wanted to combine these waterways/routes to create a multi-day paddling adventure and entice visitors from all over the U.S. to come and experience these enchanting waterways. We brought all four vendors to the table and we convinced them to come together and allow the CVB to package all of the paddle opportunities into one brand. They enthusiastically agreed and the Serene18 Paddle Trail was born!

Campaign Strategy:

The campaign strategy’s first step was to build a strong foundation for success, and therefore included naming, branding and a brand message platform. The name Serene18 was crafted to embody the 18 square miles of water the area has to offer, and the natural tranquility you feel while paddling each trail. The brand message platform lays out the overall tone and delivery of every piece created for the Serene18 brand. The brand archetype is brought to life by Redford, a character created to represent the brand in the video and in other marketing efforts.

Once the foundation was set, we dove into deeper strategy. Not only did we want to entice visitors to come to Columbia County, we wanted to also create something to set the precedent that these trails are more than just floating down a river. They are full-on outdoor challenges that can be enjoyed while socially distancing and being mindful of COVID19 protocol. We created a Passport that acts as a guide for the paddler as they take on the great Serene18 challenge: completing four different predetermined water trails in the Columbia County area. Once you complete each trail, the paddle vendor of the area rewards the participant with a stamp. Once you’ve collected all 4 stamps, you receive a free t-shirt. Each trail is completely different with mesmerizing sights, wildlife and natural obstacles. The Serene18 can be enjoyed at any age and at any skill level.

For digital and social media marketing, we began by targeting our local Augusta DMA and drive markets including Atlanta, Columbia SC, Greenville SC, Savannah, and Charlotte NC, as well as the rest of the southeast (AL, FL, KY, LA, NC, TN). In fall of 2020, we included learn from home messaging to encourage families to explore the educational opportunities on the Paddle Trail. In late winter 2020 and early spring 2021, we also targeted Midwestern cities in IL, IN, and OH that were along major routes into Georgia. The strategy was to lure visitors from colder climates to experience our warm southern waters.

Results:

.After one year, the Serene18 Paddle Trail webpage had over 166,478 views, which accounted for 60% of our primary page traffic on visitcolumbiacountyga.com. Our paid digital advertising generated 4,336,569 impressions resulting in a 2.75% click-through rate. In addition, our staff mailed over 4,000 passports across the United States, with an additional 1,000 distributed by our paddle vendors. The campaign encourages visitors to rent paddling equipment and take guided tours provided by the official vendors, therefore boosting the local economy. All four vendors reported a record year, with some tripling their sales from 2019 to 2020.

Serene18 has received regional and national recognition since inception. Serene18 is frequently featured on Explore Georgia social media channels, website and digital advertising. In 2020, Serene18 Paddle Trail was presented as a case study to Georgia legislators for creative tourism marketing initiatives during COVID-19. Serene18 was also featured by all local media outlets, Georgia Trend Magazine, Georgia Trails Alliance, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta Magazine, Blue Ridge Outdoors and Only in Georgia. Serene18 was awarded the TravelBlazer Award from the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, was named a "Community Difference Maker" by a local radio station and the Serene18 video won a Gold Addy at the local and regional level, securing a spot at the national level.

These Serene18 initiatives were achieved with a $25,000 design budget and a $50,000 media placement spend.

Why This Is A Finalist: 

It is a unique concept, bringing vendors together for a continuous way to explore the waters of Columbia County, Georgia; and to give everyone a safe way to explore and get out of their houses during COVID-19. I think the idea of creating its own specific branding was very smart, something that partners and CVB could easily promote and be recognizable across all platforms. Based on the data provided, the goal of having people get out onto the water and help local businesses sounds like it was achieved.

Very innovative to bring partners together to work cooperatively together. Love the name for the 18 square miles of water area. Fun video and creative.

A very clear and comprehensive plan was laid out in the application, essentially walking you through how you would get a stamp and, eventually, your free t-shirt. The design used for branding was great, it reminds me of something outdoorsy with a vintage twist. All the colors used were ones that you could find in nature. I appreciate the information they provided about who they were targeting for digital and social media marketing.