Goals: Clearly state your marketing goals. What did you strive to achieve using this piece or program?
Bermuda’s pink sand beaches and signature white-roof cottages are a stone’s throw away from many Eastern U.S. cities, but this island imagery often fuels confusion about its geography. How do you convince the public that an island teeming with resorts and so clearly built for recreation is located in the North Atlantic, not the world-famous Caribbean? Furthermore, how do you create demand in one of the most competitive markets where destinations are vying for affluent consumers?
Enter “Shortcut to Bermuda,” an integrated marketing campaign by the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) in spring 2024, focused on the themes of summer fun, year-round festivals, culture, and emphasizing short, two-hour flights from DC/Maryland/Virginia (DMV). Airlines began increasing service to Bermuda after a pandemic pause, and American’s (AA) new, daily flights to Bermuda presented a pivotal moment to grow arrivals from an underserved but crucial feeder market. “Shortcut to Bermuda” addressed misconceptions and increased bookings immediately.
Ads and social content featuring the island and cultural references beckoned DMV residents, growing the audience, generating leads and securing bookings. The BTA coordinated social media posts with American to expand its Instagram reach, while deploying targeted media across Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
The PR strategy focused on fostering meaningful relationships, and a deeper understanding of Bermuda's unique vacation proposition, among local journalists and influencers to generate earned content that inspires travel. Themed pitches and press visits targeted sustained coverage momentum, and the BTA also brought Bermuda closer through a culture-centric sampling event. The “Shortcut to Bermuda” media and trade partner reception featured island cuisine and cocktails, golf simulations, live music, and a truly unexpected perk– complimentary pants tailoring onsite that gave D.C.'s notoriously conservative dress code a shorter, more relaxed fit.
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)
Through research into D.C.’s unique challenges and word association, “gridlock” emerged. Our approach began by developing the shortcut narrative, then showcasing Bermuda's appeal and accessibility through engaging experiences, earned, social and paid media, as well as industry partners.
The campaign increased awareness and generated significant engagement across the DMV market. “Shortcut to Bermuda” generated more than 41 million total impressions (earned media, social, and paid media plus display) and 70,000 website visitors. Bermuda saw a nearly 50 percent increase in air arrivals from the DMV.
Bringing regional media and creators to Bermuda is crucial to securing feature coverage that elevates points-of-difference and entices bookings. Resulting from a compelling PR pitch, FOX5 D.C.’s Troy Petenbrink broadcasted LIVE from Bermuda that spring declaring, “There are so many amazing things down here… they upped their culinary game… so many things to do all year round.” Writer Erin Gifford (HGTV, TravelAge West, Northern Virginia Magazine, CNT) and Morgan Fray, @morgsvstheworld (115K followers, 4.60% engagement) joined the FAM, and the trip resulted in 1.4 million total impressions.
More than 80 attendees, including media representing Eater DC, NatGeo, Bloomberg Pursuits, Washington Informer, industry leaders, and tastemakers participated in the experiential event. Shorts-cutting content from the event was also leveraged on Bermuda’s social platforms.
The DCA Digital Display campaign performed 3x the industry average benchmark with a CTR of .30%+ on their animated banners. The campaign had more than 16 million impressions; nearly 20,000 clicks; a click-through rate of 0.127%; and nearly 4 million video completions with a completion rate of 70.4%.
Coupled with an in-studio interview with the BTA’s CEO as well as an on-island broadcast on NBC’s “Good Morning Washington” (1.36 million viewers), Bermuda saturated the market.
Return on Investment: How much revenue has the piece or campaign generated and how does this compare to your goal? What was the return on investment?
“Shortcut to Bermuda” resulted in more than 41 million total impressions (earned, social, and paid media; digital display). Bermuda saw a nearly 50 percent increase in air arrivals from the DMV area and 70,000 website visitors, exceeding expectations.
Total amount equaled $3,893,407.78.
The BTA's partnerships with major airlines coupled with its proximity campaign led to a substantial increase in bookings. This campaign effectively positioned Bermuda as a convenient and appealing travel destination for Washingtonians, boosting brand awareness and driving tourism.
Entry Title
Shortcut to Bermuda (From DC)
Division
Integrated Campaign - Business to Consumer