The focus of the campaign is a full-funnel approach which includes three phases: Inspire, Engage and Convert. Each phase has its own unique purpose, messaging, and individual media content. The mix of media that was included in the campaign is as follows:

• Audio

• Content & Integrated

• Linear TV

• Paid Search

• CTV

• Travel Endemic/OTA

• Paid Social

• Performance Digital

Spring Media

The campaign was also supported with additional marketing efforts that include public relations, email, and promotion via owned media channels.

Spring Audiences

The Spring audiences were determined by insight gained from our Terminal Data analysis done earlier in the year. The four focused groups are Beachin’ Boomers, Beach Sophisticates, Family Tides, and Beach on a Budget. Key signature behaviors for each are group are below:

• Beachin’ Boomers: Traditionalists and social butterflies who love to shower their loved ones with gifts and spend quality time together.

• Beach Sophisticates: Buy based on quality not price and will spend more to get the brands they prefer but do want to save as much money as possible.

• Family Tides: Always on the go and strive to have a high social status but go above and beyond to portray that their lives are under control. Shop around and will purchase on impulse to find the brands and products they enjoy.

• Beach on a Budget: Consider themselves to be savers when they have something specific in mind that they want to purchase and sometimes feel overwhelmed with their finances.

Secondary Audiences also included Families with specific needs and multi-generational family travel.

Spring Markets

Markets, audiences, media channels and timing varied for each campaign and were chosen based on insights from our various data sources and past performance. Of course, these campaigns are all fluid and will be optimized to maximize the results or as conditions change.

Spring Media Channels

Following are highlights from each channel, as well as sample creative for current campaigns.

Performance Digital

• Strategic Details: utilize multiple digital formats to expose consumers to messages unique to their audience segment and funnel phase (Inspire, Engage, Convert).

• Targeting: Terminal Audience, Behavioral, Contextual, Demographic, Pixel-based and Retargeting.

• Partners: TravelDesk, Sojern, and Verizon.

• Placement Types: Display, Native, Video and Mobile.

Travel Endemic & OTA’s

• Strategic Details: Reach travelers who are actively trip planning but have not booked in travel focused platforms.

• Targeting: Contextual, Behavioral and Demographic.

• Partners: Expedia, Trip Advisor and Travel Zoo.

• Placement Types: Displays, Native, Video, and CPC.

Paid Social

• Strategic Details: Increase awareness, generate meaningful engagement and convert lookers into bookers through a mix of targeting tactics and content types across channels.

• Targeting: Terminal Based (compared against general travelers), interest based, Look-a- likes, retargeting

• Partners: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok

• Placement Types: Mobile Video, Static Images, Carousels, Instant Experience

Paid Search

• Strategic Details: Always-on approach, running across all main search engines for intent-based awareness and capturing “hand raisers” while maximizing impressions share and optimizing for key phrase, device, engine, match type, demographic, geographic, and audience performance.

• Targeting: Keyword, audience, geotargeting, device

• Partners: Google, Bing and Yahoo

• Placement Types: Search, Google Discovery Feed, Gmail, YouTube (Discovery ad)

Connected TV

• Strategic Details: Targeted digital TV ads to drive measurable reach and awareness.

• Targeting: Addressable, demographic, behavioral, competitive conquesting.

• Partners: TravelDesk, Samsung, LG.

• Placement Types: :15 and :30 video.

Digital Audio

• Strategic Details: Reach travelers though targeted, high-impact, engaging audio ads.

• Targeting: Demographic, Contextual.

• Partners: Pandora.

• Placement Types: :15 and :30 audio spots, with corresponding display units.

Integrated Packages & Content

• Strategic Details: Increase awareness by leveraging the audience and reach of trusted, contextually relevant publishers.

• Targeting: Family Travelers, Beach Goers.

• Partners: USA Today, Southern Living, Parents.

• Placement Types: Custom Content, Social, Display and Native.

Linear TV

• Strategic Details: Use Linear to drive ad recall and brand awareness in key need markets.

• Targeting: Demographic, Data-led Dayparts/Programming.

• Partners: Local Network.

• Placement Types: :30 commercials.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

• Spring Into Travel With Ease in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

• Culinary:

  • Smuggler’s Den Offers Authentic English Fare

  • Sol Cocina Mexicana: Fresh, Authentic Mexican Food in Pawleys Island

• Visit Myrtle Beach is happy to have Can-Am-Days back this year

• Run to The Sun interview with Julie Ellis

• St. Patrick’s Day at the Marshwalk, interview with Julie Ellis

• On the Road with Rob. Myrtle Beach billed as autism-friendly vacation destination (audacy.com)

Other Summer Campaign Elements

• A Taste of the Beach Photo Contest

• Visit Myrtle Beach’s Passport to Fun

• Spring Vacation Guide

How Partners Can Get Involved

CVB Leisure Tourism Investment Partners can submit special packages and offers for Summer via the Partner Extranet. Everyone is encouraged to submit their events online via the Submit Event Form.