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MMG Worldwide is confident that “Let’s Talk Colorado,” its first advertising campaign for the Colorado Tourism Office, will attract an influx of new travelers to the state by making a deeper connection with them.
On Monday, the Kansas City, Mo.- based agency, which won the coveted tourism-office contract last fall, unveiled details of its first ads for this spring and summer. They will launch early next month.
“We need to make sure Colorado is relevant to travelers,” said MMG president Clayton Reid. “We’re all about trying to create an emotion attachment with people.”
MMG has set the ambitious goal of expanding Colorado’s tourism market to 30 million annual visitors by 2008. That’s up from the record 25.9 million overnight visitors in 2005.
“It is huge growth, but I do think it’s possible,” said Reid. “We’re setting the bar high.”
One factor helping MMG is the significant boost to the tourism office’s annual budget – $19 million this year, up from $5.5 million last year – that was approved by the state legislature last session.
The spring/summer campaign will cost a total of $6.9 million, with the largest amount, $2.2 million, being spent online.
“More and more people are using the Web to research and plan their vacations,” Reid said. “It’s a channel we need to be effective in.”
The ads feature everything from the expanded Denver Art Museum and Red Rocks Amphitheatre to Great Sand Dunes National Park and the Western Slope’s wine country. Outdoor activities such as fly fishing, mountain biking and horseback riding also are highlighted.
Top focus markets include Boston, Minneapolis, New York, San Diego and Phoenix.
“We’re very excited because it really showcases Colorado and all the different things you can do here,” said Kim McNulty, director of the tourism office. “We think it will attract new people.”
MMG also has launched a public-relations blitz to drum up more Colorado coverage in publications such as Food & Wine and Condé Nast Traveler.
Last week, tourism-office representatives met with media outlets in New York to promote Colorado as a culinary and cultural destination.
And next month, MMG will host a “Colorado Beyond Ski” tour for the media highlighting southwestern Colorado.
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-954-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
$19 MILLION
Colorado tourism office budget for 2007, up from $5.5 million in ’06
$6.9 MILLION
Cost of the spring/summer advertising campaign, $2.2 million of it online
25.9 MILLION
Colorado’s overnight visitors in 2005, a record
30 MILLION
MMG’s goal of annual visitors to the state by 2008
