New ads promote tourism along the Gulf Coast
BP is expanding its Gulf Coast tourism advertising campaign with new ads highlighting this year’s successful tourism season in broadcast markets around the country
The new television spot, titled “Best Season,” is BP’s first national ad in a year and is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to keep people informed and help support economic restoration along the Gulf Coast. The television spot highlights 2011 as the best tourism season in years – despite a sluggish national economy - and will be part of an integrated television, online and social media campaign. It builds on the successful campaign that kicked off in August with two well-received TV commercials - “Best Place” and “Great Vacation.”
Those spots all featured spokespeople from four Gulf States engaging in a spirited discussion of their state’s great beaches, fishing and seafood and extending an invitation to vacation along the Gulf Coast. The ads ran in all of BP’s retail markets plus the Gulf States and in markets within 500 miles driving distance from the Gulf. The ads reached more than 50 percent of the US population.
The new “Best Season” spot features the same spokespeople, talking about the strong 2011 tourist season along the Gulf Coast and engaging in a light-hearted debate over who had the best season. They go on to invite people to come down to the Gulf for a warm and sunny winter holiday.
Those spots all featured spokespeople from four Gulf States engaging in a spirited discussion of their state’s great beaches, fishing and seafood and extending an invitation to vacation along the Gulf Coast. The ads ran in all of BP’s retail markets plus the Gulf States and in markets within 500 miles driving distance from the Gulf. The ads reached more than 50 percent of the US population.
The new “Best Season” spot features the same spokespeople, talking about the strong 2011 tourist season along the Gulf Coast and engaging in a light-hearted debate over who had the best season. They go on to invite people to come down to the Gulf for a warm and sunny winter holiday.
"These ads are not just a lot of fun, but, as evidenced by the record number of visitors in some areas, extremely effective at letting people know the Gulf Coast is still a premiere tourist destination," said Mike Utsler, head of BP's Gulf Coast Restoration Organization. "We are pleased to be able to expand the reach of these ads to the entire country and by doing so hopefully encourage even more people to vacation along the Gulf."
In addition to the tourism series, BP has also been running an online campaign, known as the “My Gulf” series, featuring a variety of people who live and work in the Gulf. The series has been appearing on the company’s YouTube channel since August. Eight of the “My Gulf” videos showcase the lives of the spokespeople appearing in BP’s Voices From the Gulf TV spots. A total of 28 videos have been produced as part of that series.
In addition to the tourism series, BP has also been running an online campaign, known as the “My Gulf” series, featuring a variety of people who live and work in the Gulf. The series has been appearing on the company’s YouTube channel since August. Eight of the “My Gulf” videos showcase the lives of the spokespeople appearing in BP’s Voices From the Gulf TV spots. A total of 28 videos have been produced as part of that series.
BP commitment to Gulf Coast tourism
As part of its commitment to the Gulf Coast, BP in 2010 provided a total of $87 million in block grants to the states. In addition, BP has committed a total of $92 million over a three year period for the states to use to promote tourism, an essential part of the Gulf Coast economy. The cost of the new Gulf Coast tourism advertising campaign from BP is additional to those funds.BP has been encouraged by local and state reports that indicate tourism is rebounding in many areas across the Gulf. In the Florida Panhandle, for example, tourism officials reported some of the best months on record in 2011. In Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, both lodging revenue from January through July 2011 were up 18 percent over the same period in 2008, the best year on record.
The earlier ’My Gulf: Great Vacations’ ads posed the question: What's the best place for a Gulf Coast vacation? Is it the great outdoors of Mississippi? The fresh seafood and fun of Louisiana? Maybe it's sugar-white beaches of Florida! Or the beautiful shoreline of Alabama.
In a light-hearted competition on camera, the tourism ambassadors stake their claims for why their area offers the best vacation options.
The ’My Gulf: Great Place’ ad posed a similar question: What's the best part about a Gulf Coast vacation? Is it the great outdoors of Mississippi? The fresh seafood in Louisiana? The pristine beaches of Florida? Maybe it's the beauty of Alabama. In response, a separate group of tourism ambassadors offer their views on what makes their state the best place for a vacation on the Gulf Coast.
In addition to the television and radio ads, BP also has produced a series of video vignettes featuring each of the tourism ambassadors from the two commercials as well as a variety of other residents from each state.
Each of the participants in the ’My Gulf’ video vignettes goes behind the scenes and gives the participants an opportunity to share their personal story about what makes living on the Gulf Coast so special for them. The video vignettes are being published on BP’s YouTube site and promoted on its Facebook page.
The ’My Gulf: Great Place’ ad posed a similar question: What's the best part about a Gulf Coast vacation? Is it the great outdoors of Mississippi? The fresh seafood in Louisiana? The pristine beaches of Florida? Maybe it's the beauty of Alabama. In response, a separate group of tourism ambassadors offer their views on what makes their state the best place for a vacation on the Gulf Coast.
In addition to the television and radio ads, BP also has produced a series of video vignettes featuring each of the tourism ambassadors from the two commercials as well as a variety of other residents from each state.
Each of the participants in the ’My Gulf’ video vignettes goes behind the scenes and gives the participants an opportunity to share their personal story about what makes living on the Gulf Coast so special for them. The video vignettes are being published on BP’s YouTube site and promoted on its Facebook page.
“The response to the new Gulf Coast commercials has been extremely positive,” says Utsler. “They really do a wonderful job of capturing the friendly and fun-loving nature of the people and places of the Gulf Coast.”
In developing the new ads, BP wanted to highlight all that the Gulf Coast has to offer visitors -- beautiful beaches, great seafood, fun for the whole family , says Kathy Leech, director of BP Brand Communications. “Our team worked closely with tourism officials from across the Gulf Coast so that the ads reflect the unique aspects of each region. We also sought to reinforce and complement the tourism marketing campaigns in each state.”
The tourism industry is a key part of the Gulf Coast economy and BP has been working with tourism officials and organizations across the Gulf Coast, Utsler says. “The tourism funds that BP has provided enable each state to develop programs that meet their specific marketing needs and opportunities while the new ‘My Gulf’ advertising and video vignettes are designed to complement those efforts and sell the entire Gulf Coast.”
In developing the new ads, BP wanted to highlight all that the Gulf Coast has to offer visitors -- beautiful beaches, great seafood, fun for the whole family , says Kathy Leech, director of BP Brand Communications. “Our team worked closely with tourism officials from across the Gulf Coast so that the ads reflect the unique aspects of each region. We also sought to reinforce and complement the tourism marketing campaigns in each state.”
The tourism industry is a key part of the Gulf Coast economy and BP has been working with tourism officials and organizations across the Gulf Coast, Utsler says. “The tourism funds that BP has provided enable each state to develop programs that meet their specific marketing needs and opportunities while the new ‘My Gulf’ advertising and video vignettes are designed to complement those efforts and sell the entire Gulf Coast.”
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