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CVB Launches 2015 Advertising Campaign Using New Communications Strategy

By Laura Whisler on May. 08, 2015

The Convention & Visitors Bureau is in high gear promoting the city during National Travel & Tourism Week May 2-10 and beyond.

Those promotions include the CVB’s 2015 advertising campaign targeting leisure travelers.

The TV spots began airing in January on “The Bass Pros” show on “The Outdoor Channel” and in April in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Print ads are appearing in a variety of magazines, such as “Oprah,” “Family Circle,” “Good Housekeeping,” and in regional newspapers.
Digital ads were placed on TripAdvisor, Google and hundreds of other sites targeting families and people who could be interested in vacationing in Springfield.

The bureau also redesigned its website at www.SpringfieldMO.org. The site has a fresh, responsive design inspired by recent branding efforts. Visitors can expect a richer media experience than before, including full screen images, interactive maps and integrated social media channels. The design and development of the website was done in-house by CVB staff.

The campaign designed to encourage travel to the city has a new look and feel from previous campaigns thanks to a major overhaul of the CVB’s communications strategy. That overhaul came after months of research and implementation of a new logo earlier this year.

The strategy includes positioning the city as the “heart and soul of the Ozarks” where people can “celebrate friends, family and all of life’s simple pleasures.”

“We are excited to have such a great foundation for the campaign that is rooted in research,” said Laura Whisler, marketing director for the CVB. “The brand architecture and communications strategy that were developed earlier this year have guided the creation of the new advertising creative that we believe will be an effective tool to bring many new visitors to our community to experience all of the great assets that we enjoy every day here in Springfield.”

To view sample TV ads, go to www.youtube.com/user/vacationspringfield/videos.

The CVB spends more than $1 million annually on advertising the city as a travel destination. About $400,000 of the money comes from the Missouri Division of Tourism’s Cooperative Marketing Program, a matching funds program. Bass Pro Shops and the Springfield Cardinals partner with the CVB to match the state dollars.

“Springfield has so much to offer and the CVB works hard to shine the light on the many ways families can enjoy themselves while visiting the area, including sharing the excitement surrounding Bass Pro Shops flagship superstore,” said Tammy Sapp, Bass Pro Shops communications director. “Bass Pro Shops’ Springfield store is Missouri’s number one tourist attraction with four million people experiencing this destination each year, which includes the store’s NRA National Sporting Arms Museum and Archery Hall of Fame. Next year’s opening of America’s Wildlife Museum and Aquarium, which is adjacent to Bass Pro Shops, will take that buzz about Springfield to a whole new level.”

The Convention & Visitors Bureau serves as the primary marketing organization responsible for the development and implementation of marketing programs to ensure positive economic impact on the Springfield metropolitan area through steady growth of the travel industry. The goal of the Bureau’s efforts is to encourage the development of tourism and increase overnight travel and occupied rooms in Springfield metropolitan area hotel/motel properties.

For more information, call the CVB at 417-881-5300 or 800-678-8767.