Columbia begins new marketing campaign
Every few years, the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau tries a fresh take on its marketing campaign. Starting July 1, some local faces will be gracing billboards, websites and ads aimed at promoting the city in a relatable way.
“The iteration of this is what we call ‘Meet Columbia,'” said CVB marketing specialist Megan McConachie. “Travel is a really experienced-based sort of decision, and you want to hear it not necessarily from authority, but from someone who seems like they could be your friend.”
The campaign takes on several different formats, including long-form videos introducing the local profiles, and shorter spots that will appear on social media or ads on YouTube.
There are currently three of these long-form feature videos on the CVB’s YouTube channel for the Meet Columbia campaign:
Jesse and Heather Garcia, owners of The Social Room, The Penguin and Absolute Vintage Nickie Davis, owner of Muse Clothing Kyle Cook, co-owner of Hitt Records Kenny Greene, owner of Monarch Jewelry (his video is still in post-production)
The campaign will also feature Jina Yoo from Jina Yoo’s Asian Bistro and Akira Yasuda, a biomedical engineer and bike enthusiast.
The CVB plans to release a few more videos and spots by July 1, when the campaign officially kicks off. It will last for the next few years.
Two billboards are planned to pop up about 65 miles east and west of Columbia for folks coming toward the city from St. Louis and Kansas City. Marketing efforts will also target audiences in Denver, Dallas and Chicago, which are destinations for the Columbia Regional Airport.
The entire Meet Columbia concept is a new effort for the CVB, and having local residents highlight the hidden gems of the city is unique.
“This new campaign really showcases how people who already live in Columbia get to enjoy these amazing things, and really invites new visitors to come and experience it for themselves.”
The CVB partnered with Woodruff, a local creative agency, to put together the videos, concepts and a micro website for the campaign. It cost $250,000.
