Bohlsen Group Helps Promote Hoosier Hospitality During COVID-19 Pandemic
Earned Media • Social Media • Grassroots Marketing • Paid Digital • Content Development • Branding • Creative Development
INDIANA DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
The Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) was created to promote Indiana as a great place for living, visiting, learning, and earning. (Previously Visit Indiana)
BACKGROUND
Mission is to tell Indiana’s authentic story
Quasi-government agency created by the Indiana State Legislature
Works with attractions, restaurants, hotels and other partners throughout Indiana to tell Indiana’s inviting stories to residents and visitors alike
When you make the Hoosier Hospitality Promise, you show you are more than ready to welcome them back to your business. You’re promising to make patron health and safety a top priority as you follow federal, state and local health and safety guidelines for proper reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
— HoosierHospitalityPromise.com
IDDC ENGAGES BOHLSEN GROUP TO GET PROMISES’ MESSAGE OUT
In the Summer of 2020, the Indiana Destination Development Corporation [IDDC] in partnership with the Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association [INRLA] and Indiana Tourism Association [ITA] launched a new public health initiative, the Hoosier Hospitality Promise, to assist businesses in safely reopening throughout the State during the COVID-19 pandemic.
IDDC engaged with Bohlsen Group to help get the promises’ message out through creative, earned media, community relations and social media tactics, with a goal of increasing the number of participating Indiana businesses and consumers.
As part of the partnership, Bohlsen Group produced a tool kit for businesses that made the promise. This tool kit was available digitally as well as physically at local pick-up locations across the state. The kit included ‘We made the promise’ signage, a static cling, a set of social media assets, a website badge, a crisis communications guide, and a promotional guide that outlined how all the assets in the kit could be used to promote awareness with consumers.
Bohlsen Group also reached out to build relationships with some local businesses to capture video of them holding the signs and saying that they have made the promise and are ready to welcome people back. These efforts were then crafted into short videos that could be used on social or on broadcast segments.
Results
Over 1,000 consumers and 800 businesses across the State have made the promise to follow federal, state, and local health and safety guidelines for a proper reopening.
Over 63 million impressions were captured through 29 placements within a month’s time period through earned media efforts.
A variety of businesses throughout the state showed support for the initiative using the campaign hashtag #HHPromise.