South Dakota Department of Tourism

Monumental Celebration

  • Experiential Marketing and Activations
    • Public Relations
      • Social Media

        Situation

        The South Dakota Department of Tourism wanted to bring Mount Rushmore to Chicago, Illinois – one of its top drive markets – to remind Chicagoans that South Dakota is a close, affordable and ideal travel destination. The vision was to create a replica of Mount Rushmore, scaled down to a third, and a needles-like climbing wall, placing them within Chicago’s famed Millennium Park – a location that attracts a vast number of locals and visitors daily.

        Action

        The 30- by 22-foot Mount Rushmore replica consisted of 2,750 pounds of high-density foam and 2,800 pounds of metal for the framework. The model was accompanied by a 25-foot climbing wall.

        To kick off the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, the mountain served as a backdrop for a BBQ in Millennium Park with offerings such as hot dogs, beef and bison sliders, baked beans, watermelon slices and Thomas Jefferson ice cream.

        We created and promoted a Facebook event for locals and conducted targeted outreach to find top-tier outlets, ultimately resulting in significant exposure.

        • Activation Day

          We hosted nearly 5,000 people at the BBQ in Millennium Park on the activation day.

        • Thomas Jefferson Ice Cream

          Among other treats, Thomas Jefferson ice cream was served and was a crowd favorite.

        Results – Activation Day

        • 16,800 impressions
        • 4,800 personal engagements

        Social Media

        • 317,270 reach (FB/TW)
        • 38,058 impressions (FB/TW)
        • 351 engagements (FB/TW)
        • 37,235 story views (IG)

        Public Relations

        • 69 placements
        • 1.3M impressions
        • 12 broadcast segments
        • 24 online placements
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        National Geographic