National State Tourism Directors Mercury Awards > Printed Collateral Materials

Wyoming Office of Tourism

That's WY

About This Entry:

The Wyoming brand platform is built on the shared value of adventure and designed to connect with audiences on a deeper emotional level. Research showed our audience is adventurous not just physically but intellectually. Asking “why?” is built into their DNA. So the work had to deliver on a level that goes beyond the usual events and attractions that most tourism brands promote. It had to answer “why” both physically and philosophically.

The “That’s WY” print campaign features grand visuals paired with thoughtful statements that tap into the mindset of our audience. The medium captures readers’ in an environment where they tend to linger, allowing for the introspective message to truly resonate; while the tangible quality of print brings realness to the epic intimacy of Wyoming’s landscape shown through the awe-inspiring photography. The print campaign is purpose-built to introduce visitors to the lesser-known aspects of Wyoming, providing ideas for exploration beyond just the icons.

Objectives:
• Increase travel to Wyoming
• Build That’s WY brand awareness
• Build national brand
• Build demand for destinations beyond icons
• Drive increased intent to travel inquires

Target audience:
• A25-54
• Average HHI $75,000+
• 70% college graduates
• Married
• Values/Attitudes: seek adventure, curious, inquisitive, desire to experience new things, push
themselves outside of comfort zone

Campaign Strategy:

When your product is Yellowstone, the Tetons, the authentic Western culture of Wyoming, the visual statement needs to be epic. And the personal, philosophical statements delivered in the headlines need to pay off the audience insights. The vision of the work was to make an incredibly vast and rugged landscape feel personal and emotional. And to portray the landscape in a way that the audience hadn’t seen before. Achieving "epic intimacy" was the creative mantra. Wyoming has less than six people per square mile. What's it like to be one of those people, and have all that wilderness to yourself? The combination of photography style and headline direction created a deeper connection between this endless land and the individuals who explore it. Beyond that, the work answered “why” by capturing the state icons from fresh angles, and featuring lesser-known locales that the curious audience could discover.

National print publications sample:
• National Geographic Traveler
• National Geographic
• Sunset Magazine
• Backpackers Magazine
• Bicycling Magazine
• Smithsonian Magazine

Niche print publications sample:
• Cowboys & Indians Magazine
• National Parks Magazine
• True West Magazine

Results:

Channel specific metrics indicate:
• 25,000 reader services leads
• 14,486,018 print impressions

The “That’s WY” print work contributed to the impact of the overall multi-channel brand campaign during summer 2016. An ad effectiveness study conducted by Strategic Marketing and Research Insights (SMARI) indicates the “That’s WY” campaign outperformed past efforts including generating the highest ROI on record for the office of tourism. For every one dollar invested in advertising, the return to Wyoming in visitor spending was $275; outperforming industry averages per SMARI at $129. The ROI from national spend was even higher at $459.

Creative performed in top 10% (excellent) on key communication attributes on a five-point scale
With vast landscapes full of endless natural beauty 4.5
Where I can seek adventure 4.3
Where I can feel a sense of freedom and release 4.3
Where I can indulge a passion for the great outdoors 4.3
Where I can disconnect from daily life 4.4

Creative impact ratings in top 10% (excellent) in terms of consumer motivations on five-point scale
Want to visit the state 4.2
Want to learn more about things to do 4.2
Want to go to website 4.0

Total influenced trips from marketing spend is 931,809, a 3.2% increase YOY
Influenced trips from national 820,788
Influenced trips from regional spot markets 111,021


An annual visitation study conducted by Dean Runyan Associates indicated an overall overnight visitation of 8.5 million in 2016. While incremental travel to the state increased 9.6% YOY, which can be directly attributed to the paid campaign per SMARI’s ad effectiveness study.


Total That’s WY 2016 campaign media budget = $4,375,457
• 25% of total budget attributed to print media

Why This Is A Finalist: 

This campaign is perfectly minimal. Minimalism is very bold and risky, but Wyoming pulls it off. Wyoming entices visitors with its lush backdrops and compelling historical context. The inclusive and expansive landscape photography is convincing enough to visit Wyoming with one glance. The copy was very creative and tied in perfectly with the imagery. The theme of the campaign was clearly communicated on each of the pieces. While all of the posters followed a similar format, each was unique in its approach of describing why someone should visit Wyoming. The KPIs were clearly defined, and the application provided an impressive analysis of metrics.