Laugh Tracker Campaign
Tennessee Tourism faced the challenge of inspiring families to choose the state as their vacation destination. To overcome the subjectivity of traditional travel reviews, they launched Tennessee tourism’s Laugh Tracker campaign, with a wearable device that measured children’s laughter and excitement levels at various attractions. By collecting and analyzing data, the campaign successfully increased family visitation and positioned Tennessee as a premier family-friendly destination.
Campaign Overview
Company Overview :
Tennessee Tourism: The state’s official tourism board responsible for promoting Tennessee as a travel destination.
Problem Statement
- How to effectively measure and communicate the “fun factor” of Tennessee’s family attractions?
- How to differentiate Tennessee from competing destinations in the family travel market?
Campaign Objectives:
Increase family visitation to Tennessee Position Tennessee as a top family-friendly destination Generate positive media coverage Collect data to inform future tourism strategies
Campaign Strategy
Develop the Laugh Tracker, a wearable device to measure children’s laughter and excitement. Conduct field research at 31 family-friendly locations in Tennessee. Analyze data to identify top-rated attractions. Create a public-facing campaign to share results. Leverage media and social media to maximize reach.
Campaign Tactics
Impact and Results
Tennessee Tourism’s Laugh Tracker Campaign yielded impressive results, generating $42.22 million in hotel revenue and 157,733 hotel bookings. The campaign achieved an exceptional return on investment with a $142 return for every $1 spent on advertising. Additionally, it garnered 235 million earned media impressions, highlighting its wide-reaching impact and success.
Lessons Learned
Innovative Measurement: Using wearable technology to measure fun was a unique approach that provided credible and engaging data.
Targeted Marketing: Focusing on mothers, who are often the primary planners of family vacations, proved to be an effective strategy.
Data-Driven Decisions: The quantifiable data helped in creating compelling marketing content that resonated with the target audience.
Engagement Through Authenticity: Showcasing real kids having fun helped build trust and authenticity, making the campaign more relatable and effective.
