CASE STUDY | Destination Colorado

PUBLISHED ADVERTORIAL

CLIENT: Destination Colorado
INDUSTRY: Meetings, Travel & Tourism
AUDIENCE: Meeting Planners
CONTRIBUTION: Research, Stakeholder Interviews, Copywriting

Short on staff, the Northstar Travel Media team enlisted my services in writing a 1,000-word introduction advertorial for the sponsor of a major upcoming event. The piece was to focus on the meetings & conventions industry in Colorado, and the sponsor's - Destination Colorado - place within.

STRATEGY | My Process

Research - Knowing little about the meetings niche within the travel industry, I invested hours of research in order to understand the current landscape and assess Colorado against its competition.
Interviews - In order to gain even greater insight into how Destination Colorado was formed, and how it has impacted the state's economy, I interviewed several sitting board members.
Inspiration - I used my passion and education in urban planning and design to drive the theme of the advertorial. By first focusing on how Colorado's urban centers were contributing to the industry's success, I discovered that the convenience and authentic opportunities that large cities offer were the key factors influencing meeting planners. Other locations throughout the state were then evaluated based on the convenience or authentic experience each provided.

RESULTS

While finishing the story, I received a call from the sales representative responsible for the Destination Colorado event and had procured the sponsorship. She expressed excitement and gratitude at my involvement, as she believed my prior work in managing the marketing of Destination Colorado would give me an advantage as I understood the event's purpose and its audience.

This intrinsic knowledge of the assignment and my willingness to assist the company in covering resource gaps provided quantitative savings for Northstar that would have otherwise been used to hire, educate, and manage a freelance resource.