Goals: Clearly state your marketing goals. What did you strive to achieve using this piece or program?
Visit Baltimore seeks to reinforce messaging as a destination committed to highlighting and elevating Black businesses and culture in the city. To do this, the organization hosted a group press trip (FAM trip) leveraging the return of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), as a pivotal, timely event for media to visit Baltimore. The FAM was themed Black Excellence with a special focus on Black travel and lifestyle media who not only had the chance to attend the CIAA Conference but also experience Baltimore’s black-owned businesses.
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, chose Baltimore for its 2022 Championship Basketball Tournament. As one of the country’s top 10 cities with the highest percentage of Black or African-American residents, one that celebrates and amplifies Black culture, Baltimore is the perfect destination for the CIAA Tournament.
By marketing the event extensively through a dedicated FAM trip, Visit Baltimore sought to elevate the city’s reputation as a multicultural and diverse destination, notably with relation to Black excellence as demonstrated by the multi-pronged marketing efforts.
Messaging not only focused on the historical impact of CIAA, why it chose Baltimore as its location and the economic impact of this event. Visit Baltimore also leveraged the event for destination storytelling, highlighting all that Baltimore has to offer a visitor while experiencing the event with a specific focus on Black excellence in Baltimore. This included highlighting Black owned businesses, Black history, and culture.
Among the angles shared with the media on the FAM, Visit Baltimore pitched the CIAA Commissioner’s 10th anniversary, the 50th anniversary of the Title IX civil rights law, tie-ins to Black History Month, which were all natural fits for the CIAA Championship Basketball Tournament taking place in February in Baltimore.
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)
The press trip attracted eight key journalists from top-tier target media, including Ebony, Thrillist, TravelNoire, Black Enterprise, and National Geographic. These participants helped Visit Baltimore achieve its primary goal of connecting with target audiences and spreading its message as an inclusive and diverse destination, especially for Black travelers.
The ensuing coverage included twelve direct placements totaling 348,126,629 impressions – more than one view for every U.S. citizen! Visit Baltimore reported that the estimated ad value for these placements totaled $3,220,171, demonstrating a clear return on the organization’s investment.
Articles titled, “Now's The Time to Visit Baltimore” in Black Enterprise, “Meet the Two Black Hoteliers Changing the Hospitality Industry”, and “The Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum is a Must See For The Culture” in TravelNoire and syndicated to MSN and Yahoo.com, demonstrate how coverage is directly aligned with Visit Baltimore’s goal of celebrating and sharing the city’s Black excellence. By reaching a variety of travelers in targeted Black travel publications but also on sites like MSN and Yahoo News, Visit Baltimore used the FAM to spread its message efficiently.
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?
As stated, the direct value of the placements secured following the FAM was $3,220,171, indicating a healthy return on investment. That figure, however, does not encapsulate any increase in visitation, especially by Black travelers, that may have been sparked by these stories.
What this coverage does do, in terms of investment, is help ensure continued attendance during upcoming CIAA Tournaments. First, it’s important to note that in 2023, the CIAA Tournament generated a total economic impact of $29.6 million, which supported 1,504 part-time and full-time jobs and generated $2.5 million in state and local taxes. From a tourism standpoint, the tournament generated $17.7 million in participant and spectator off-site spending.
$5.4 million spent in the food and beverage sector
$4 million in lodging
$3.4 million in entertainment and attractions
$3.2 million in retail spending
$1.7 million in transportation and local rideshare companies
Secondly, these numbers become all the more salient when realizing that the CIAA committed to returning to Baltimore each year through 2026, extending its partnership with the city and demonstrating success for both the athletic organization and the city.
The FAM trip during the CIAA Tournament was a powerful way to engage the media to act as vectors for these messages and events and to continue to drive Baltimore’s reputation as a cultural hub of Black excellence.
Entry Title
Visit Baltimore CIAA Media FAM
Division
Public Relations/Communications - Special Event
Category
Public Relations/Communications