Putting Illinois on the Map (For Real This Time)

A look at how a data-driven digital campaign convinced travelers that Illinois is more than just a flyover state.

Putting Illinois on the Map: A Tourism Campaign

The Challenge
The Illinois Office of Travel & Tourism wanted to increase awareness and drive tourism across the state. The challenge was to create a campaign that would cut through the noise and showcase Illinois as a premier destination for travelers.

My Role
As the campaign's digital media lead, I was responsible for crafting a strategy that would capture the attention of potential travelers. I oversaw the planning and execution of all digital initiatives, ensuring that every ad was delivered to the right audience at the right time.

The Solution
I designed a comprehensive, full-funnel paid media campaign that reached travelers at every stage of their journey, from the initial "dreaming" phase to the final "booking" stage. The strategy included everything from visually stunning video ads on social media to highly targeted search campaigns that captured intent. I also leveraged data to optimize our ad placements and messaging, ensuring we were always reaching the most relevant audience.

The Results
The campaign successfully increased awareness and drove a measurable increase in tourism for the state of Illinois. By leveraging data-driven insights and strategic optimizations, we were able to deliver a strong return on ad spend and help the Illinois Office of Travel & Tourism achieve its goals.