• by Fern Siegel , October 12, 2023

Nobel Prize winning writer John Steinbeck set four of his acclaimed novels, including the epic "East of Eden," in Monterey County, California.

The area, located on California’s central coast, is also a destination draw. See Monterey, which promotes tourism, has new branding and a marketing campaign, "Find Your Way Here," to showcase its offerings, including its marine wildlife, Old Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey Bay Aquarium and whale watching.

TV spots, digital and social media work, created by agency 62ABOVE, encourages travelers to connect with themselves and nature, via the Monterey experience.

The spots will be broadcast during NFL games and the World Series.

The connections theme supports the "Find Your Way Here" campaign. The area's beauty helps align visitors with nature and each other. The ads show family and friends spending time together — and apart — to illustrate Monterey County's lure. For example, the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival is Nov. 2-4, while California Rodeo Salinas will host the second annual Fall Round Up Oct. 12-15.

“One of the key strategies for See Monterey is to attract visitors from farther away, since they tend to stay longer, do more and spend more. However, people who live farther away are less familiar with the destination, so this creative was specifically designed to showcase the breadth of Monterey County and all it has to offer,” Jenn Bollman, vice president of media, 62ABOVE, told Agency Daily.

Monterey County is one of the most geographically diverse and stunning areas in California, and the concept of naturally connected works on multiple levels.

Travel spending in Monterey County hit nearly $3 billion in 2022.