State starts $1M winter tourism campaign
‘The State I’m In’ faces challenge from coronavirus
The Connecticut Office of Tourism has heard some of the things people say about the often-maligned nutmeg state. To set the record straight and provide a boost to Connecticut’s tourism industry at a time when a new wave of the coronavirus is limiting travel, the state today unveiled a new million-dollar marketing campaign.
“The State I’m In” will run through the end of March, Gov. Ned Lamont announced, in hopes of bringing more tourists to Connecticut in the winter months, stimulating business at local restaurants, hotels, museums and other attractions.
In the first of two TV spots, a young man in a winter coat and scarf does a mellifluous, conversational rap about appreciating Connecticut.
“People always get at this place, that it’s dull and gray,” he raps, over images of restaurants, shopping districts, bars and fitness centers. “But I say if you’re bored, then you’re boring, and maybe you’re ignoring what is worth exploring when you actually
look for it.
“This destination has a great sensation because elation is not a location and adventure is all around us. See, I’ve learned the state I’m in has always been a place with space to find more, so don’t ignore what’s out there in Connecticut. Check out the state I’m in.”
The multi-pronged marketing campaign includes both English and Spanish-language
promotions, and also stresses cultural diversity and inclusivity found in the state.
The video features Pratt Street in Hartford, the “igloo dining” domes at the Dockside Brewery & Waterfront Biergarten, Backyard Adventure UTV Tours in Canaan, the downtown shopping district in Mystic, the BAR nightclub and pizza restaurant in
New Haven and Aerial Arts Fitness in Jewett City.
The man rapping in the video is Eddie Cruz Jr., a Hartford-based actor and Hartt School graduate who was born and raised in Newington. Castonquay says that those involved with the campaign are “all local agencies,” from the advertising firm to the video producers to the social media specialists. The campaign’s social media will also feature photos and testimonials from actual tourists. Those interested in adding their own words and images to the “State I’m In” social media campaign can do so using the hashtag #Stateiminct.
The second TV spot is still in pre-production.
Christine Castonguay, director of branding and marketing for the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development says the locations in the videos are meant to represent similar businesses around the state. During the campaign, hundreds of Connecticut businesses and attractions will be spotlighted.
Castonquay says that the seasons with the largest budget for tourism marketing are spring and summer, followed by fall. “In winter, we usually have $10,000 that we use for small buys. This is 10 times that.”
The “State I’m In” campaign will run on TV and digital media and will not be in print or on radio, Castonquay says. The TV spots will be seen during such high-profile programs as the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards, NFL playoff games and the NCAA Big East Finals.
The campaign’s ads will also be found on social media, digital billboards and elsewhere.
The campaign hopes to stimulate tourism at a time when many of the industries served by tourism have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Nationally, Castonquay says, “‘Vaccination rates are tied to whether people go out. Connecticut is leading in vaccinations.” She notes that tourist destinations follow state COVID guidelines, and the many outdoor activities promoted in the campaign,
including UTV tours and skiing, are safe options.
Tourism, Castonquay says, is a $15.5 billion industry in Connecticut. The “State I’m In” campaign, she says, “is about keeping Connecticut top of mind.”
Ctvisit.com, expected to received seven million hits online this year, is the main source for information on state tourism. Find attractions and information and see the “State I’m In” campaign at ctvisit.com/ Stateiminct.