Explore Hood Canal
The Wild Side of Washington
Mason County, Washington is a gem among PNW gems. It’s situated between the eastern edge of the Olympic National Park and Hood Canal. The county’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee tapped us to step in as their RDMO (Regional Destination Management Organization) partner. We crafted a brand from scratch, developed full-blown marketing strategies, created timeless collateral and assets, and managed all of it for two years before we handed the reins to a local shop.
Services
Advertising (Online & Print)
Website Design & Development
Content Development (Photo & Video)
Copywriting
Event Marketing
Social Media Strategy & Management
Strategy
Our approach began with nailing down the target audience. Seattle and Portland breed the type of travelers that are up for poking around the hidden nooks of Hood Canal. Adventuresome college students, military families, and Millennials abound. These groups became the focus of our campaign, leading to creative that was whimsical, awe-inspiring, and flexible enough to promise adventure to all who were seeking it.
Development & Deployment
We took a multi-pronged approach to reach adventure-seeking individuals wherever they were. This included a brand-new website built from the ground up with mobile in mind, a wealth of snackable social media content featuring local stories and history, and materials for an event booth that traveled to various summer events to meet tourists face to face. But undeniably the most fun component of all of this was the custom oyster mascot suit we created. It definitely grabbed attention!
Results
The new website had an incredible launch and it didn’t stop there. Traffic continued to grow over time, increasing by over 10% in the first year. The email list saw a 417% year-over-year increase in subscriber growth and a 15% average click-through rate. After 18 months, more than 70% of all traffic was originating on a phone or tablet and ExploreHoodCanal.com had driven more than 1,300 clicks per month to local lodging provider pages. This led to a 10% increase year-over-year for the county lodging tax — a true reflection of increased tourism and health of the travel industry in Mason County.
Testimonial
“The design work is beautiful, the marketing strategies are creative, and their responsiveness is outstanding. Most importantly, Devise is very sensitive to our budget limitations and manages to always deliver a high-quality product.”
Terri DrexlerMason County Commissioner - Explore Hood Canal