Situtation:
As the agency of record for The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, MMGY was tasked with rebranding the destination and developing a fully integrated marketing campaign that would generate awareness of the Southwest Florida destination, increase overall visitation (including U.S. out-of-state, in-state and international) and increase bed-tax revenue.
ACTION:
MMGY kicked off our partnership with The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel with a full rebranding for the destination using our HEMISPHERESTM process that included new brand architecture, a new logo and campaign development. The campaign was born out of a new brand platform that entices consumers to “Find Your Island,” operating on both a physical and an emotional level. Physically, travelers can find their island by picking the destination that’s right for them. Emotionally, they can find their island in a place where they can connect with what’s around them and with the people that matter most. This overarching message was incorporated into print, digital and broadcast advertising as well as social media, eCRM and public relations.
Results:
The brand and campaign has been so successful that it has run for nearly five years. Over that time, MMGY has increased growth across social platforms by 360,000 likes and followers. Targeted public relations initiatives for the destination generated $6.2 billion earned media impressions, including feature coverage in a variety of national and key regional outlets, including Martha Stewart Living, Lonely Planet Magazine, The New York Times, USA TODAY, Forbes, CNN Money, National Geographic Traveler, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune and The Baltimore Sun. MMGY’s custom cooperative advertising website has resulted in a 73-percent increase in industry partner participation and a 77-percent increase in the number of co-op programs offered. MMGY also helped develop a responsive website and email communication program to help grow the consumer database by 115 percent and increase the email open rate to 20 percent.
At the close of 2015, MMGY hit the stated 2016 goal of $3 billion in direct spending to the The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel economy. Shoulder season visitation is at an all-time high, and the destination is beginning to attract slightly younger visitors. Together, MMGY and The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel have worked hard to realize five consecutive years of increased bed-tax revenue collection with unprecedented levels reached last fiscal year – a 36-percent increase over 2010.