Marriner Marketing released the results of its 2019 campaign for the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Office of Tourism, highlighting the campaign’s effectiveness and the significant economic impact it had on the state from April through September 2019.

In 2019, Marriner began a multiphase integrated consumer campaign for the Office of Tourism, with the goal of increasing Maryland’s awareness as a potential tourism destination. Using the Clarity CaptureSM process, Marriner repositioned the state for today’s traveler with a tagline, “Open For It,” that encapsulates the essence of Maryland: welcoming, open minded, and quirky. The campaign celebrated the diversity of attractions and experiences Maryland has to offer, including fresh local seafood, water experiences and a sense of community extended to all who travel to the state.

Destination Analysts, a market research company, conducted an advertising effectiveness study on behalf of the Maryland Office of Tourism, and found that the 2019 initiatives garnered the following results:

  • More than 53,500 incremental trips to Maryland
  • More than 123,000 incremental visitors to Maryland
  • $45.4 million in direct spending from incremental visitors in Maryland
  • $6.2 million in tax revenue for the local government from the direct visitor spend
  • 31:1 return on investment, meaning that for every dollar spent on advertising, $31 flowed back into the state’s economy

The study revealed that the key motivators for visitors were enjoying local seafood and engaging in water-related experiences, both of which were highlighted in the campaign. Among those visitors who recalled seeing one of the advertisements, 50 percent said that the ads directly influenced their decision to visit Maryland.

With the momentum of the current campaign, Marriner looks forward to continued growth in the travel and tourism industry. “Our primary purpose as an agency is to help our clients connect the heart of the brand to the heart of the target,” said Rob Levine, Marriner’s Vice President of Account Strategy. “Maryland Office of Tourism Development’s commitment to gaining ongoing target audience insights allows us to determine where we are succeeding and where the screw needs tightening. It leads to better, more effective communication.”

ABOUT THE MARYLAND OFFICE OF TOURISM:

The Maryland Office of Tourism is an agency of the Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts within the Maryland Department of Commerce. Visitors to the state spent $18.1 billion on travel-related expenses in 2018. The Maryland tourism industry also generated $2.5 billion in state and local taxes, and provided Marylanders with more than 150,000 jobs with a payroll of $6 billion. For more information, go to visitmaryland.org.

ABOUT MARRINER:

As a branding and activation Agency, Marriner Marketing Communications has been a leader in providing integrated solutions for the food, beverage and hospitality industries for 30 years. Clients count on Marriner for effective, clarity-driven communications to address a wide variety of business opportunities and champion the voice of the target. Marriner’s Clients include such notable brands as Atlas Metal, Butterball, Campbell’s, Maryland Office of Tourism, Nestlé Professional, Perdue Farms, Plastics Industry Association and Sugar Association. For more information, visit marriner.com.