Goals: Clearly state your marketing goals. What did you strive to achieve using this piece or program?
In 2018, after successfully getting out the message that the British Virgin Islands (BVI) had reopened for yacht charter and villa business following two Category 5 hurricanes, our main objective in 2019 was to generate broad awareness for the Territory as the “Sailing Capital of the Caribbean,” showcase its key experience pillars including nature and adventure, romance and luxury, and food and culture, and set the destination up for its true “relaunch” in 2020 when many of its renowned resorts were reopening after complete rebuilds.
While reacquainting media with the BVI, we hosted intimate media events in key market cities promoting the culinary scene and its November 2019 month long Food Fete. At our March 2019 event in Chicago, we met with The New York Times contributor Elaine Glusac, formally introducing her to the destination’s great comeback story. After, we kept in close touch and ensured she was up to date with upcoming BVI news tied to its rebound, new luxury property openings and sustainability triumphs. These conversations directly lead to the BVI landing the incredibly coveted #2 spot on The New York Times’ “52 Places to Go in 2020” list, which ran January 10, 2020. Following this placement, we set out to further build our relationship with Elaine and tell a deeper and more comprehensive story of the BVI.
Although the BVI is perceived as a millionaire's paradise, we were keen to tell a story that showcased the destination as accessible for every traveler - and Elaine’s “Frugal Traveler” column was the perfect platform. Through a few weeks of quickly researching accommodations, ferry routes, experiences, and restaurants, we coordinated an itinerary for Elaine to follow for her visit in late January 2020. Following her trip, we assisted with fact checking for the February 10, 2020 feature promoting the BVI’s public ferry system for island hopping.
Results: Which of your original goals did you achieve and how? How did you measure the effectiveness of the piece or campaign? Entrants should provide quantifiable results of their tactics or campaigns. (for example, click through rates or ad equivalency)
Securing the full two-page print spread and all-encompassing online feature titled, “Who Needs a Caribbean Yacht When You Can Take a Ferry,” was a tremendous way to reach a wide and motivated audience, reaching 3,023,132 print and 33,484,705 online readers. With a print ad value of $283,868 and an online ad value of $669,694, the feature which ran across pages 4-5 in the Sunday Travel section, included eight stunning images of the BVI as well as a map outlining the island hopping route Elaine took on her visit. The online piece linked directly to the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board’s website, including its interactive page dedicated to island hopping. Along with detailing the BVI’s ferry system, she highlighted affordable hotels along the way, culinary musts including where to get local spiny lobster, and unique experiences that set the destination apart from other destinations such as Virgin Gorda’s The Baths and Anegada’s conch mounds.
Overall, the feature spotlights 20 key partners across three islands, shines the destination in a new light and claims the BVI ferry system as the most convenient in the whole region - in all far surpassing our messaging goals. In fact, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board saw an astounding 88.3% of its website traffic to be new visitors from Feb. 10 - Feb. 17, the week of the article’s publication. As a true testament to media relationship building, BVI and its partners were beyond ecstatic with both features in The New York Times (incredibly running within a month of each other) - establishing the Territory’s rebound from the hurricanes in 2017, solidifying its position as a premier destination in the Caribbean and spurring more publications naming it on their “Where to Go in 2020” lists.
Entry Title
BVI Makes Triumphant Return with Multiple Features in The New York Times
Division
Public Relations - FEATURE PLACEMENT PRINT - Consumer Magazine or Newspaper