Visit Corpus Christi

Texans have long appreciated Corpus Christi as a sunny, inviting coastal destination with an abundance of experiences that extend far beyond its beautiful shoreline. But this gem remained hidden to other key drive and fly markets. 

To reach these new markets, we leveraged Visit Corpus Christi’s “Coast Your Own Way” brand campaign to raise awareness and entice potential travelers to visit the destination. The messaging taps into the emotional resonance of travel – the freedom to create moments that reflect your authentic self. It acknowledges that the perfect vacation looks different for everyone and that travelers can create a personalized experience in Corpus Christi.

“Coast Your Own Way” is more than a celebration of the Gulf Coast Capital; it is an anthem designed to reach national audiences, strengthen brand identity and inspire measurable travel interest among specific leisure audiences. By targeting audience personas, we ensured authentic alignment with travelers’ values and expectations, and we shifted media weighting toward lower seasons to bolster off-peak travel. 

Celebrating this coastal city for what it offers and how it makes visitors feel, “Coast Your Own Way” delivered results.

• 132.3 million impressions, surpassing our goal by 33%
• 17.1 million engagements against a goal of 15 million, with a CPE of $0.09 – outperforming the target by 26%
• $24.39 cost per inquiry, a 62% increase in acquisition efficiency 
• Generated over 63,000 high-intent travel inquiries

Arrivalist data showed that the campaign doubled Visit Corpus Christi’s historical visitation benchmarks and helped increase multinight visitor stays. According to a third-party effectiveness study, ad-aware respondents were three times more likely to have visited Corpus Christi since 2023 and more likely to visit for leisure versus obligation. 

Emotional resonance with the campaign was strong; video ads were rated 4.05 out of 5 for conveying relaxation, family appeal and destination vibrancy. The campaign achieved an 85% conversion rate from interest to likelihood to visit, outperforming larger regional competitors. Additionally, the campaign encouraged extended visits, adding an average of 2.97 extra nights per trip and increasing discretionary spending.

Third-party analysis showed a campaign ROI of $233.76 per dollar spent, with top performance in drive and fly markets. Most significantly, the ads created new intent: Respondents who were not originally planning a trip said the campaign directly influenced their decision to travel to Corpus Christi.