Situation
There are many beach destinations, but music’s favorite might be Myrtle Beach, SC. This distinction elevated the destination’s 60 miles of coastline and family-friend vacation activities to a new audience of travelers. Because while nearly 4 in 10 previous visitors understood the area’s music culture, only 28% of broader audiences knew of any connection at all. Visit Myrtle Beach sought to expand awareness of its musical offerings in key markets to core and new audiences to strengthen its position as “Music’s Favorite Beach.”
Action
The strategy was designed to drive awareness, generate measurable lead acquisition and create long-term destination affinity through live, memorable brand engagement. Strategic partnerships with iHeartMedia, Carolina Country Music Fest (CCMF), Gibson Guitars and Gibson Gives produced branded live experiences in Nashville and Myrtle Beach. In Nashville, activations featured branded swag and promoted sweepstakes for a free trip to Myrtle Beach and custom guitars. At CCMF, a stage sponsorship resulted in signage throughout the grounds, mainstage placement and numerous QR code entry points.
Results
The results put on a show:
- 232,064 website visits driven by streaming audio and digital placements
- 257,880 new email leads
- 141.8 million impressions
- 143,000 in-person attendee touchpoints
