Since its early beginnings, GumCo has shared a love affair with the industry of travel and tourism. Maybe it’s our love for adventure, or our innate ability to find a sense of belonging anywhere we go. Because of our passion for unforgettable places, our tourism work turns more than a few heads.
Travel ads often face the inevitable fate of blending together. Breathtaking photography only takes an ad so far when surrounded in a magazine of similar landscapes. Clichéd phrases contribute to its generic effect, only worsened by the addition of a glaring coupon offer or too large of a phone number. Whether its in print, billboard, commercial, or digital, travel ads too commonly become their own kind of white noise.
But that’s where we come in.
Attractions, cities, counties, states: we’ve seen it all. When creating branded content that makes a statement, that inspires curiosity and desire to explore, you start with a detailed, well-planned strategy. We ask questions. What makes this place unlike any other? What are the people like that call this place home? We always venture out to explore for ourselves. We find insights. Great insights drive great copy, and paired with poignant visuals, we successfully tell the stories of what makes each place so memorable.
For Moab, “Where Adventure Begins,�? our challenge was to draw a crowd to experience its equally magnificent off-season months. With its colossal abundance of natural beauty, from the red rocks and arcs of Arches to the breathtaking depths and trails of Canyonlands, we wanted to show a side of Moab that inspired and captivated its audience. We had to find a way to reveal the potential of Moab outside its popular summer months and challenge its explorers to experience its year-round wonder firsthand. We connected people with a love of adventure to a place that offers it every day of the year, sparking a call for action.
For the Lantern Fest, we were intrigued by this spectacular celebration taking place each year in cities across the country. At these events, thousands of biodegradable lanterns light up the sky. So how do we encompass the magic and magnitude experienced in this event, and give its image a modern day look? We attended the one-of-a-kind festivity and compiled a branded video to embody the energy of the evening. The festival is a sight to see, complete with art, music, and vendors. But we found it was the people that personified the wonder of the experience. There was incredible camaraderie between friends, families, and strangers as they came together to participate in this remarkable activity. We focused on the wonder in their eyes as they let their lanterns float into the air, a symbol of change, a celebration of life, and hope for the future.
With Pikes Peak, it’s not everyday you can drive to the top of a mountain. In a campaign complete with print ads, videos, and a giant airport display, we wanted to recreate the sense of wonder felt when scaling a mountain of 14,115 feet from the seat of your car. These were ads that spoke with confidence and awe, that dared you to discover it for yourself. We took a trip out there to capture the essence of escalated adventure.
From Park City to the Port of Friday Harbor, we’ve covered a lot of ground in our travel work. We understand that every destination is different, shaped by the history, people, and experiences that make them so unique. Our task is tapping into those insights and making something great out of them, which we love. Because the world doesn’t need another travel ad. But we always need new places to venture.