Marketing & Advertising

BIGGER, BOLDER, BRIGHTER: VISIT TAMPA BAY’S WINTER CAMPAIGN REDEFINES ‘READY TO PLAY’

Out-of-State campaign reminds travelers that Tampa Bay is the perfect escape from the cold


Tampa, FL (January 13, 2025) — With endless sunshine and perennial blue skies, Visit Tampa Bay invites out-of-state travelers to escape the chill and discover unforgettable adventures in the world-class destination of Tampa Bay with its new winter sales and marketing campaign.

The mass media plan, produced in conjunction with agency of record FKQ Advertising + Marketing, utilizes a broad range of marketing channels to reach target audiences and includes an emphasis on high-impact, out-of-home placements, such as billboards, wrapped transit, street-level pillars, wallscapes, and more. Audiences will also be targeted with connected TV partners Hulu and MNTN, and the campaign’s always-on approach runs across paid social media and digital advertising.

Running now through the end of March, the full-scale marketing campaign highlights the region’s unique mix of adventurous experiences and laidback vibes in the key markets of New York, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Atlanta. Additionally, the campaign includes key international markets in Canada, the U.K., and Germany. The vibrant creative prominently showcases the endless ways Tampa Bay is “Ready to Play,” “Ready to Relax,” and “Ready to Go Wild” by spotlighting the area’s many attractions, including The Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.

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📷  Ready to Explore Underwater Wonders

Visit Tampa Bay invites out-of-state travelers to escape the chill and discover unforgettable adventures in Tampa Bay with its new $2.7 million winter sales and marketing campaign. The mass media plan showcases the endless ways Tampa Bay is ‘Ready to Play’ utilizing a broad range of marketing channels in key markets to grow its core audience of couples, families and friend groups, while featuring its upscale accommodations and world-renowned MICHELIN-starred dining to captivate luxury seekers and affluent explorers.


Building on last November’s successful $1.6 million ‘Tampa Bay is Ready’ sales and marketing campaign, Visit Tampa Bay has invested an additional $2.7 million in its latest winter campaign to maintain 2024’s record-breaking tourism momentum. Tampa Bay aims to grow its core audience of couples, families and friend groups, while featuring its upscale accommodations and world-renowned MICHELIN-starred dining to captivate luxury seekers and affluent explorers.
 
“Our marketing efforts from the ‘Tampa Bay is Ready’ campaign proved overwhelmingly successful in helping Tampa Bay’s hospitality industry navigate weather-related challenges last fall, leading to record tourism numbers in November and propelling us past $1 billion in hotel revenue for the third-straight year,” said Santiago C. Corrada, President & CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. “We realize that maintaining that momentum requires diligent work and renewed investment, and our latest campaign is designed with the goal of ensuring Tampa Bay remains a destination of choice.”
 
In each key market, the advertising mix is customized based on the local audience, the location’s heavily-trafficked areas, and visitor data.  For example, through Visit Tampa Bay’s brand tracking study, conducted by Downs & St. Germain Research, the destination learned New York visitors have the highest likelihood to travel to Tampa Bay. With this in mind, Visit Tampa Bay added eye-catching advertising takeovers in the affluent neighborhoods of Greenwich Village and SoHo as well as the waterfront commuter sites to name a few.

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📷  Ready to Soak Up the Sun

Visit Tampa Bay invites out-of-state travelers to escape the chill and discover unforgettable adventures in Tampa Bay with its new $2.7 million winter sales and marketing campaign. The mass media plan showcases the endless ways Tampa Bay is ‘Ready to Play’ utilizing a broad range of marketing channels in key markets to grow its core audience of couples, families and friend groups, while featuring its upscale accommodations and world-renowned MICHELIN-starred dining to captivate luxury seekers and affluent explorers.


To reinvigorate the Chicago market, Visit Tampa Bay is the first destination to dominate the bustling Loop neighborhood with premium synced bus shelter wraps, guaranteed to reach corporate employees and special event attendees.
 
Taking to the streets of Washington, D.C., the destination is hosting its largest brand immersion ever in the city, which will consist of over 200 digital and static advertising units at the always-buzzing Metro Center. The dynamic culture and attractions featured in Visit Tampa Bay’s dazzling imagery will be unforgettable to potential visitors.
 
In Visit Tampa Bay’s market research, Dallas-Ft. Worth continues to display a strong affinity for the destination with 35% ranking it “extremely likely to visit.”  Leveraging this finding, Visit Tampa Bay returns to densely-populated areas, such as Victory Park, to attract winter travelers to its sun-drenched escapes.
 
Another notable activation new to the plan and that will extend yearlong is the Orlando Airport tunnel full-site takeover. This iconic domination of 28 strategically-placed ad banners will capture the attention of arriving passengers as they head towards the car rental counters, touting the short drive to Tampa Bay.

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📷  Ready to Relax

Visit Tampa Bay invites out-of-state travelers to escape the chill and discover unforgettable adventures in Tampa Bay with its new $2.7 million winter sales and marketing campaign. The mass media plan showcases the endless ways Tampa Bay is ‘Ready to Play’ utilizing a broad range of marketing channels in key markets to grow its core audience of couples, families and friend groups, while featuring its upscale accommodations and world-renowned MICHELIN-starred dining to captivate luxury seekers and affluent explorers.



ABOUT VISIT TAMPA BAY

The heart of Florida’s Gulf Coast beats in Tampa Bay. Visit Tampa Bay encourages adventure with a relaxing vibe to create vacation experiences that are authentically Tampa Bay. As a not-for-profit corporation certified by Destinations International’s Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), we work with hundreds of partners to tell the world the story of Tampa Bay. Treasure awaits. For more information, visit our website.