Introduction to Immersive Travel Marketing
Tripadvisor has partnered with the San Diego Tourism Authority and agency The Shipyard to create an immersive art campaign called “The Sunny Side of Things.” This campaign goals to advertise travel to San Diego through interactive street murals, augmented reality (AR) experiences, and social media sharing.
The Campaign’s Key Elements
The effort includes several key elements, similar to interactive street murals placed in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. These murals, created by three different artists – Channin Fulton, Hanna Gundrum, and Phoebe Cornog – include QR codes that may be scanned to unlock an AR experience and animated GIFs that may be shared on social media. The campaign will run from April 3 to April 30 and is spearheaded by Tripadvisor’s internal agency, Wanderlab.
A New Approach to Travel Marketing
This partnership between Tripadvisor and the San Diego Tourism Authority represents a brand new approach to travel marketing. By choosing a more immersive, digitally driven experience, they aim to foster a deeper reference to consumers and increase the chances of connecting with the following generation of travelers. The campaign’s concentrate on promoting the lure of San Diego, including its weather and various experiences, is designed to appeal to a wide selection of potential travelers.
How the Campaign Works
Consumers within the three participating cities will have the opportunity to scan QR codes embedded within the murals to unlock an AR experience inspired by the art and procure GIFs, or stickers, for social media that play off visual elements throughout the art pieces and have fun San Diego. Additional elements of the trouble will include San Diego planning guides on Tripadvisor and shareable content for social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. This will make the experience available to those that live outside of the three major cities, potentially widening the campaign’s reach.
The Role of Technology in Travel Marketing
The campaign was created with Tripadvisor’s newly formed in-house creative studio, Wanderlab, which launched last September and uses the travel platform’s first-party data to craft relevant campaigns. The use of QR codes and AR tech on this campaign is comparable to other recent marketing efforts, similar to Rémy Martin’s Mixtape Street Art Museum, which included interactive street murals celebrating well-known DJs. The integration of real-world experiences with digital technology is becoming increasingly popular in travel marketing, because it allows for a more immersive and fascinating experience for potential travelers.
Conclusion
The “Sunny Side of Things” campaign represents a brand new and progressive approach to travel marketing. By combining interactive street murals, AR experiences, and social media sharing, Tripadvisor and the San Diego Tourism Authority aim to advertise travel to San Diego and appeal to a brand new generation of travelers. The use of technology on this campaign is a key element, allowing for a more immersive and fascinating experience for potential travelers. As the travel industry continues to grow and evolve, it would be interesting to see how other marketers incorporate similar strategies into their campaigns.
