Introduction
The Great Rivers & Routes region is the only place where Route 66 meets the Great River Road. The region celebrates three of the U.S.’s great rivers (the Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois) alongside famous roads, history, and small-town charm. The team first partnered with Sojern in May 2021, leveraging the majority of their digital spend to launch an always-on, multichannel strategy to drive travelers to the region year-round and showcase all it has to offer, including eagle watching, stunning scenic views, and outdoor recreation right in the midwest.
Objectives
Great Rivers & Routes wanted to maximize reach with their target audience across digital channels. Prior to the partnership with Sojern, they were not investing heavily in digital marketing. They needed a partner with access to quality traveler data to help them promote the region as a whole to attract new visitors and activate promotional campaigns for their unique offerings, such as eagle watching and Nascar events. They looked for a one-stop-shop where they could run multichannel, always-on digital marketing to capture traveler demand.
“We’re a destination marketing organization that doesn’t have a media buyer, so it is really the ease of working with you, figuring out solutions to our problems, continuing to grow our business, and finding ways to reach new travelers who want to be in our destination. You’re always available when I need you to talk through problems and find solutions. We’ve had some really good numbers over the years through some really difficult times and you’ve always been there to support us.”
Solution
When Great Rivers & Routes partnered with Sojern in May 2021, they activated always-on campaigns targeting travelers not just during their busy summer and fall seasons, but in the winter months to showcase eagle watching, a key driver of tourism during this season. Through multichannel advertising across display, native, video, and CTV, they focused on increasing brand awareness among travelers interested in coming to the midwest. Partnering with Sojern helped the team to optimize reporting, streamline initiatives, and organize creatives, making their campaigns more efficient and measurable. In 2023, the partnership was instrumental in driving record-breaking tourism growth for the region, including both the number of visitors and the amount of money visitors spent in their time there. The partnership resulted in an 8X ROAS with 5,509 confirmed travelers and 1,157hotel room night bookings driven from February 2022 to June 2023. Great Rivers& Routes now spends 95% of their overall marketing budget on digital, and nearly all of this budget is spent with Sojern.
About the Partnership
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“We’re a destination marketing organization that doesn’t have a media buyer, so it is really the ease of working with you, figuring out solutions to our problems, continuing to grow our business, and finding ways to reach new travelers who want to be in our destination. You’re always available when I need you to talk through problems and find solutions. We’ve had some really good numbers over the years through some really difficult times and you’ve always been there to support us.”
