FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018
CONTACT: Katlyn Richter, Global Media & Public Relations Director, South Dakota Department of Tourism, 605-773-3301

SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM KICKS OFF

NEW MARKETING EFFORTS TO CONTINUE VISITOR MOMENTUM

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Tourism kicked off its fall and winter marketing efforts in September to build upon the 13.9 million visitors and $3.88 billion in visitor spending the state experienced by the state in 2017.

Included in the efforts are partnerships with major brands like the Minnesota Vikings, Pheasants Forever and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade^®. Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism James Hagen said these and other partnerships will provide valuable reach to potential visitors throughout the region and across the nation.

“Working jointly towards shared goals in partnerships like these is a cost-effective way to reach new audiences,” said Hagen. “These efforts are a bit different from our traditional media buys, but they’ve proven to be highly effective in reaching both targeted audiences and new potential visitors.”

Efforts with the Minnesota Vikings and Pheasants Forever began this August and will run through December, which aligns with the rest of the department's late season efforts. 2019 marks the department's ninth year in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with the “Mount Rushmore’s American Pride” float.

Along with these partnerships, the department's advertising efforts include magazines, direct-mail pieces, podcast advertisements, digital ads, social media placements and the launch of two new TV spots featuring more of the state's “Great Faces, Great Places.” Efforts will highlight the fall experience in South Dakota by showing diverse wildlife, natural beauty and world-class attractions. Key audiences targeted by the department include couples without children in the household, visitors looking for iconic national and state parks, visitors seeking active and memorable outdoor adventure, and hunters looking to bag their pheasant limit.

The department expects the fall and winter marketing campaigns to generate more than 84 million impressions.

“Our previous efforts have shown how effective multi-channel marketing campaigns with a consistent message can be in attracting visitors to South Dakota,” said Hagen. “We are thrilled to see that our visitors have expressed a strong interest in traveling in South Dakota during our fall season since it expands the statewide economic impact beyond our summer travel season.”

Compared to the previous year, the department has experienced a 21 percent increase in website visits in late August and early September 2018 and a 7 percent increase in information requests.

The department is focusing on audiences in the following primary cities in 2018: Minneapolis, MN; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; Des Moines, IA; Kansas City, MS; Omaha, NE; and Milwaukee, WI. Secondary/tertiary markets include Lincoln, NE; Fargo, ND; Mankato and St. Cloud, MN; Madison, Green Bay, Wausau, and La Crosse-Eau Claire, WI; the Quad Cities in Illinois and Iowa; Cedar Rapids, IA; Spokane, WA; and Portland, OR.

The South Dakota Department of Tourism is comprised of Tourism and the South Dakota Arts Council. The department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen.

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Media notes: Downloadable creative assets referenced in this press can be found in the links below.

Traditional Creative examples - https://l-s.sharefile.com/d-s896ee52dab64cea8

Digital Banner examples - https://govideoproductions.wistia.com/projects/xanze21m1v