• by Larissa Faw , June 29, 2020

Visit California is eagerly encouraging tourists now that the state has begun to reopen and stay-at-home orders eased (despite states like Florida and South Carolina seemingly regretting their decisions).

The first phase of the “See You Soon” campaign, developed with Mering, is composed of 12 social videos for each region of the state seeking travelers, including Big Sur, San Francisco and the state’s beach towns. These ads employ an anthropomorphic approach, with California “reaching out” to consumers in the form of a text message, letting them know how much the state has missed them during its recent shutdown.

Sample the work here, here and here.  

Given restrictions, Mering resorted to producing the videos using its in-house production resources and stock footage.

“As Visit California moves into its recovery marketing, it was imperative that we moved quickly and nimbly to develop relatable messaging for consumers who want to pack their bags, get on the road, and responsibly enjoy the beauty of California this summer,” explains Mark Taylor, CCO, Mering.

The campaign is being distributed largely organically through social media, with limited paid Facebook advertising during June.

While previous campaigns were aimed more at destination travelers, this specific work is focused more on talking to Californians, says Tammy Haughey, vice president, Mering. “ At this point, we know travel is going to occur closer to home, so as new layers of the recovery plan are launched they [would-be travelers] will be targeted in-state."