5 Destination Brand Partnerships that Bridge the Gap to New Consumer Markets
February 2, 2020 | By: DCIThey say the collaboration of minds yields greater results. This is evident today in the numerous destination brands teaming up across industries in an effort to reach and engage new and existing consumers –forging partnerships that are as unexpected as they are savvy!
A few of our favorite strategic and creative partnerships include:
Ridesharing Partnerships
Chicago heats up with Uber and St. Petersburg/Clearwater
In efforts to promote Uber in the Chicago market, the ridesharing pioneer Uber launched “Warm Up Wednesdays,” a co-op consumer marketing activation, which during the month of February, provided Chicago Uber riders the opportunity to escape the bitter cold with free rides and a chance to win a trip to the tropical destination of St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida. The campaign included various advertising strategies including digital billboards, digital marketing via social channels, promotional fliers as well as cobranded gear for the drivers.
Fitness Partnerships
Sweat in the New Year with ClassPass and Thailand
The New Year symbolizes a fresh start for most, an opportunity to begin new challenges, journeys and experiences. The New Year in Thailand is celebrated in April and known as Songkran; it is marked with a celebratory cleansing ritual symbolic of the fresh start. In celebration of the New Year in North America and Thailand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand partnered with the monthly fitness membership company ClassPass, encouraging members to focus on their lifestyle goals and sharing their experiences via social media. Using #ClassPassThaiGiveaway from January 19 to February 19, participants were entered for a chance to win a 6 day/5 night trip for two to Thailand including roundtrip airfare and accommodations with complimentary breakfast. The promotion allowed for added traffic to the tourism board and fitness brand’s websites and social pages, increasing brand awareness and driving bookings from the North American market.
Airline Partnerships
Break out of the New York Chill with Greater Palm Springs
Greater Palm Springs CVB recently partnered with JetBlue to launch new seasonal service from New York’s JFK Airport to Palm Springs through May 2016. In an effort to promote this new service and partnership, Greater Palms Springs held a consumer activation stunt in New York’s Washington Square Park and the Flatiron District’s pedestrian plaza. Consumers had to “break out of the New York chill” by literally breaking giant blocks of ice with hard rubber mallets to win prizes including two Grand Prize trips to Greater Palm Springs courtesy of JetBlue, The Miramonte and JW Marriott Desert Springs. Following the stunt, participants still had an opportunity to win prizes by sharing how they “chill” via Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram using #JetBluePSP. The results included a reach of more than 350,000 accounts across social media, providing additional promotion to the campaign.
Home Rental Partnerships
Experience San Francisco like a Local with Airbnb
In July 2015, San Francisco Travel became the first city to formalize a tourism partnership with home rental service Airbnb in efforts to disperse tourism to neighborhoods throughout the city. The partnership was a strategic match made in destination marketing heaven, and an inevitable collaboration as the rental company’s roots are based in this pioneering city. While many cities’ tourism partnerships aim to increase hotel bookings, San Francisco was faced with the challenge of increasing tourism throughout the city despite constantly overbooked hotels, at an average rate of 85 percent occupancy which only increases during the many conventions in the city. The collaboration connected tourists to local neighborhoods with tourism toolkits created for local merchants and unique content about businesses and experiences throughout the city. Airbnb also connected with meeting planners to increase attendance in citywide conventions and business events while meeting diverse lodging preferences.
Restaurant Partnerships
Shake Shack Loves Singapore
In celebration of Singapore’s “Golden Jubilee” marking 50 years of independence, the Singapore Tourism Board targeted the key tourism market of New York City, partnering with the iconic New York burger chain Shake Shack during “Singapore: Inside Out”, a consumer activation in Madison Square Park. It was the global burger chain’s first destination branded burger. Shake Shack created a Singaporean inspired menu using local ingredients, which included the Singapore Spice Burger, Onde Onde Shake and Tiger bear. The partnership also included branded paper products to driving awareness to the destination and the celebratory event. We all know the key to a New Yorker’s heart is through their stomachs.
What are some of your favorite destination/brand partnerships? Tweet us @aboutDCI!