Central Oregon has a ‘Giant’ promotion in SF

Focusing on a key target audience in the Bay Area, the Central Oregon Visitors Association launcheda unique and innovative marketing campaign – with some help from the 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants and a “larger than life” character.

The COVA Team, including our new mascot “Biggy,”were visible in forceat AT&T Parkon Saturdayas the Giants took on their in-state rival Los Angeles Angels.

With a huge Central Oregon display featuring a renovated, retro 1950s camperand half a dozen vibrant pop up displays, COVA interacted with thousands of fans as they entered the stadium. Inside the stadiumClub Level Suites, corporate sponsors and their guests were welcomed by a second ‘Destination Central Oregon’ exhibit and personalized information and vacation planning by the COVA team.

“San Francisco is a very large and expensive market to reach with traditional media, so creative‘big idea’ thinking is important to COVA’s messaging and programs in the Bay Area” said Alana Hughson, COVA’s president & CEO. “Bringing‘Destination Central Oregon’ to the incrediblyloyal fan base of the San Francisco Giants was a uniquely effective way to reach a core audience. Who wouldn’t want to win a vacation to Central Oregon?COVA quickly learned that tens of thousands of Giants fans were thrilled with the opportunity.”

Biggy helped Giants staff deliverCentral Oregon Adventure Packsfilled with goodies to the Lucky Row in the stadium andaGrand Prizeluxury vacationfortwo lucky fans.Central Oregon messaging commanded the park as the vacation giveaway was featured on the Jumbo Tron for the 41,500 fans in the sold-out stadium to see.

In addition, COVA’s hashtag of #visitcentraloregon appeared on the kick plate behind home plate for television viewers during Saturday through Tuesday’s broadcasts, reaching more than 500,000 fans.

Extending the messageto an even broaderbase,Central Oregon and Biggy were featuredSaturdaymorning in social media messages to the Giants’ more than 3 million Twitter and Facebook fans.

This unique marketing effort showcased the best of Central Oregonin springtime and the Earned Media garnered in our key target market makes this a grand-slam for COVA. Planning is underway to return to the stadium in the fall with messaging to launch the 2015-2016 Destination Central Oregon winter messaging campaign with Mt. Bachelor.