CONNECTICUT COMMISSION ON CULTURE & TOURISM ANNOUNCES 2007-2008 ADVERTISING AND MARKETING PLAN
Enhanced Campaign Positions Connecticut as an Escape that is “Closer Than You Think ”

HARTFORD, Conn. (May 22, 2007) – Do you want to escape to a place that offers art and culture, outdoor adventures, fun for the family or simply relaxation? That place is “Closer Than You Think,” and the Commission on Culture & Tourism (CCT) wants to be sure potential visitors know with its 2007-2008 strategic advertising and marketing plan.

This month, the Commission launched an enhanced marketing plan and integrated advertising campaign that combines conventional media and the Internet with out-of-home ads. The campaign’s tagline, “Closer Than You Think,” appeals to residents of the New York metro area, the target demographic. The 2006 Brand Image Study, commissioned by CCT and conducted by Phoenix Marketing International, revealed the top two reasons New Yorkers visit Connecticut: proximity and accessibility. Supporting campaign messages focus on five visitor experiences and interests: family fun, rest and relaxation, arts, heritage and active adventure.

“In today’s competitive travel market, people have many options, so it is critical that Connecticut’s tourism campaign continues to evolve to appeal to its target audience’s needs,” said Governor M. Jodi Rell. “This is an important investment, as tourism is currently a $9 billion industry in Connecticut that generates 110,000 jobs and $1.15 billion in state and local revenue annually. This refocused campaign will put Connecticut in a better position to compete with surrounding states for additional tourism revenue.”

This plan builds upon the 2005-2006 “How Will You Connect?” campaign by positioning Connecticut as a nearby escape that offers a retreat from the hectic pace of daily life and an array of visitor experiences. CCT collaborates with the state’s five tourism regions to enforce this message by promoting regional attributes, particularly special events and packages, in advertising and marketing materials.

“This enhanced campaign provides a fresh perspective on Connecticut as a place that offers not only attractions and scenic landscapes, but also the experiences visitors seek, including time to reconnect or weekend adventures,” said Karen Senich, acting executive director of the Commission on Culture & Tourism. “Our studies show that our target market wants an escape where they can relax and unwind, have fun and enjoy a change of pace in a beautiful setting. This campaign shows them they can find that in Connecticut.”

Print ads and collateral materials feature action photos of people enjoying the state’s attractions and scenic beauty juxtapositioned with playful headlines that position Connecticut as a place to relax and recharge. The headline for an ad featuring a couple walking through a peaceful meadow reads “Power Walk” and an image of children tubing down a river is contrasted with the words “Morning Rush.”

The campaign’s target demographic remains women ages 35 to 54 in the metro New York market with an average household income of $80,000+. Research shows that 74 percent of New York and New Jersey residents are drawn to Connecticut for leisure activities or to visit friends and family who live here. * Research also reveals that though women collaborate with men in making travel decisions, women tend to carry out the plans.

A multi-media advertising campaign
The Commission will continue to build brand awareness of Connecticut with an advertising plan that includes the media New York residents use most often.

“This integrated campaign will include radio, print and, for the first time ever, out-of-home advertising to increase awareness of all Connecticut has to offer,” said Senich.

Out-of-home campaign ads will appear on railcards on the New Jersey Path and Hudson River Valley train lines to capture the attention of the metro New York market’s working audience.

Upbeat, tongue-in-cheek radio ads on the metro New York market’s top six stations position Connecticut as a fun, nearby escape that offers opportunities for rest and relaxation and family fun – all top trends in travel. These 60-second ads will run for six weeks, through July. The Commission also created a Spanish version, which will run on the Hispanic stations among the market’s top six, to attract metro New York’s growing diverse audience.

Print ads will run in the May issues of Travel + Leisure, Yankee Magazine and Country Living and the June issue of Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel as well as Northeast editions of Country Home, Traditional Home, More, AAA Traveler and AAA Car & Travel in May and June.

Additional print ads appear in Better Homes & Gardens and Ladies’ Home Journal April through July and in Travel + Leisure in April and June. These ads are the result of coordinated efforts between CCT and the tourism regions and feature special summer events in each region.

In addition, the Commission worked with the tourism regions to develop weekly New York Times ads that will run in the Friday “Escapes” section May through July. These ads feature packages that offer accommodations, meals and entertainment for one price. These themed getaway packages meet many visitors’ needs, as research shows they typically stay for two to three days and look for value travel.*

Marketing initiatives
The Commission’s marketing strategy relies strongly on the Internet, which studies indicate is the primary tool used in travel planning by Americans and Connecticut’s target audience. The Commission’s 2006 Intercept Study showed that 74 percent of residents in the metro New York market depend on the Internet for travel information. Online marketing is also cost-efficient and allows CCT to build relationships with consumers throughout the year via e-newsletters.

CCT will continue its online summer sweepstakes this year and extend it for an additional month to maximize results. Sweepstakes participants enter for a chance to win one of 16 Connecticut getaways awarded over 18 weeks. As a result of last year’s sweepstakes, CTvisit.com’s subscriber list grew from 160,000 to 250,000, Web site visitors increased to more than 2,000,000. This year, ads for the sweepstakes will appear on top Web sites, including Yahoo! and AAA, New York Times and Budget Travel.

The Commission also repeated its direct mail campaign this year, with targeted mailings to households with and without children in the New York metro area. These direct mail cards included campaign imagery and highlighted activities of interest to families and couples.

The Economic Impact of Connecticut Tourism
Travelers to Connecticut spend more than $9 billion each year, generating $70 million annually in hotel occupancy taxes and $1.15 billion in state and local revenue. Travel and tourism results in 110,000 jobs – 6.5 percent of the state’s total – and generates $5.3 billion in personal income and $7.95 billion in gross state product.

About the 2006 Brand Image Study
Conducted by Phoenix Marketing International, the 2006 Brand Image Study evaluated the brand imagery of Connecticut among Connecticut residents and visitors and non-visitors from the New York metropolitan region. The study also examined the motivational drivers that caused people to choose Connecticut as a leisure travel destination.

About the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism
The Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism brings together tourism, film, history and the arts. Its mission is to preserve and promote Connecticut’s cultural and tourism assets in order to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of the state. The Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism is located at One Financial Plaza, 755 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut. For more information, log on to www.cultureandtourism.org.

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* 2006 Connecticut Brand Image Study, Phoenix Marketing International

Related materials:

Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism
2007-2008 Marketing And Advertising Plan At A Glance

The Economic Impact of the Arts, Film,
History and Tourism Industries in Connecticut 2004

Media contacts:

Karen Senich
Acting Executive Director
Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism
(860) 256-2727 (Leigh Johnson)

Barbara Cieplak
Marketing Director
Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism
(860) 256-2745

Jenny Smith/Becky Giantonio
Pita Communications
(860) 293-0157, exts. 15/25
jenny@pitacomm.com
becky@pitacomm.com