CASE STUDY
Multi-Regional Campaign in Maine
Multi-Regional Campaign Supporting Community & Local Travel
Partners: Maine Office of Tourism, Visit Portland, Maine’s Lakes & Mountains, Maine’s Midcoast
Campaign Trailer: “Explore Your Maine”
Overview: With an abundance of natural beauty and outdoor experiences, every day is a new adventure (even if it’s your own backyard). Get inspired by the spirit of these Mainers to travel and explore this beautiful state.
Story Profile: Maine's Carrabassett Valley is Ultimate Mountain Biking Destination
In Maine's Carrabassett Valley, mountain biking is a way of life and community. Miles of winding forest trails lure locals of all ages to the bike saddle for a regular dose of nature, thrills, and feeling like a kid again. Maine's Lakes & Mountains region just might be America's best-kept mountain biking secret.
Issue
GLP partnered with 3 regional DMOs across the state of Maine for a collaborative Content Marketing Campaign designed to promote each region’s individual branding, while also marketing the entire state. Using visual storytelling, each region wanted to showcase its unique people and places through strategic verticals: food, nature, adventure, mountain biking, hiking, farming, and culture. The goal was to reach a national and global audience through a comprehensive distribution campaign.
This large campaign was really comprised of 3 mini campaigns. Each DMO received custom deliverables (i.e. video reel, FAM trip, media pick up, etc), while the state DMO (Maine Office of Tourism) as a whole received content as part of their contribution. The regions shared resources, learnings, and channels to amplify mutual content.
Solution
GLP identified local characters and developed compelling stories covering the themes that each region wanted to convey:
1.Lakes & Mountains: Outdoor Heritage Destination
2. MidCoast: Outdoor Stewardship and Conservation
3. Portland: Unique Personas of Greater Portland
To maximize digital & social media coverage and earned media placements, two Influencers and two award-winning Travel Writers were selected to accompany the film shoot. A network of key trade partners was also developed to reach travel advisors, tour operators and other travel sellers.
A Trade Landing Page was created to include tools and resources for travel sellers, to connect them with GLP recommended suppliers, lodging, food, drink and attractions for each region, creating a roadmap to bring the content to life with travel-ready itineraries.
Location
Map: State of Maine
The triangle reflects the 3 regions that GLP brought together in this campaign.
“A special component of this project was the connection to a larger community focused on tourism in Maine and the unique stories of the individuals and businesses profiled. The videos and accompanying marketing campaign received support from a number of regional organizations and other participating businesses. If we ever had the great fortune to work with GLP Films again we would jump at the opportunity.”
Story for Midcoast, ME: Odd Alewives Farm Brewery
Results
In 3 months during the summer of 2020 amidst a global pandemic and local lockdowns and travel restrictions, we were able to pivot strategies to execute a successful multi-regional video campaign with local targeting that reached over 400,000 video views, 3 million impressions, and 8+ major media placements, including a mention in The New York Times.
Key takeaways
Why multi-regional content campaigns?
Travelers travel regionally within a destination. Give the travelers dots to connect as they travel across the regions, combining urban, nature and rural environments.
Share resources with neighboring regions to highlight local businesses, characters and organizations.
Amplify your content and message by leveraging regional partnerships
Build local supply chain resiliency through strategic collaboration.Innovate and create strategic content through collaboration instead of competition.
Produce content that is appealing to local and regional travelers and supports local businesses, community, and the local economy.
Develop a more approachable call to action for travelers to visit specific regions and businesses as part of their larger trip.
Promote products to respond to consumer demand for local and “micro tourism.”
Video Story Examples
Portland Series: A World of Flavor
Lakes & Mountains: A Heritage of Outdoor Experiences