Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
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Asheville tourism officials on Thursday unveiled their new campaign to advertise Asheville to the masses. About 300 Asheville Chamber of Commerce members turned out at the Grove Park Inn to watch a 2-minute “long-form” video that forms the foundation of the new campaign, with the tag line “Asheville: Discovery, Inside and Out.”
Local tourism officials hired the New Orleans ad agency Peter Mayer to oversee the creation of the ad campaign, videos and a series of print and digital ads, with the tag line “There’s more to the life than the climb.”
In introducing the video, Stephanie Brown and Peter Mayer representatives said the goal of the video was to establish an emotional connection with viewers and potential visitors, and to let the Asheville area’s stunning scenery speak for itself.
The video features the soundtrack of local band River Whyless. Folks who know Asheville will recognize locations ranging from the French Broad Chocolate Lounge and Curate to Grey Eagle and Jack of the Wood. Hot air ballooning, white water rafting, hiking, shopping the downtown drum circle, Wicked Weed Brewery are all included, as is the Biltmore Estate and Grove Park Inn. Stargazing, ziplining, green mountain waterways and blue mountains also feature prominently.
Here’s the press release:
The Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau showcased its new brand campaign at an industry event hosted by the Omni Grove Park Inn this afternoon.
The campaign consists of a new brand video and a series of TV ads along with new print ads and digital advertising. The campaign will begin running in nine TV markets in August, while print and digital will be placed in regions throughout the Eastern US with some national placement included. The brand video and :30 spots found here and here) are available on the ExploreAsheville.com YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/user/exploreasheville).
Planning for the new campaign began last year and production began in the Asheville area this spring. Video and still photography was shot at more than 20 locations within the community. The aim was to create an inspiring and compelling destination music video that showcases the vibrancy, experiences and flavors of the Asheville area, while also evoking an emotional connection with the viewer. The footage is also woven into a series of scripted TV ads that will be used in paid broadcast advertising.
The soundtrack for the brand video and broadcast spots was written and performed by the Asheville band River Whyless and recorded at Echo Mountain Studio. River Whyless also appears in the spots performing the song.
ExploreAsheville.com has also undergone a makeover with new emphasis on storytelling, inspiring imagery and a responsive design to enhance usability. Tourism representatives got a sneak peek at the site which is still in development and will be launched prior to Labor Day.
– Additional Facts –
The new campaign consists of a two-minute brand video, two 30-second broadcast spots, six 15-second broadcast spots, several print ads and new digital creative.
The creative campaign costs $590,000 for video, photography, editing, post-production and other associated costs.
Music for the brand video and all spots was written and performed by local band River Whyless. It was produced by Asheville music producer Gar Ragland and recorded at Echo Mountain Studio. The band is currently on tour.
Nearly 150 Asheville area residents were part of the cast and crew of approximately 225.
More than 20 locations were used in total for the video and still photography.
Video spots will air in the following TV markets: Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, Atlanta, Charleston, Columbia, Knoxville, Cincinnati and Nashville. They will also appear on TrueView and Hulu as well as on other digital properties.
The campaign replaces the “Asheville Calling” campaign which was produced in 2011.
The Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for the Asheville area. The ACVB is an agent of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, the entity that oversees the use of occupancy tax revenues paid by lodging guests who overnight in Buncombe County. In 2014, the county welcomed 9.8 million visitors, including 3.3 million overnight guests. Visitors spent $1.7 billion, generating $2.6 billion in economic impact and supporting 24, 856 jobs.
Nothing here that any local advertising agency couldn’t do. I guess it makes the chamber feel more important to spend tax dollars created here with outside firms even though the talent to do it locally is here. And let’s not forget that New Orleans isn’t a bad place to have to go on business (wink wink).
There should be a requirement that CVB money be spent with local firms unless there is some solid proof it can’t be done locally.
I love how “…my brother…” at 00:27 shows the token black guy raising his craft beer as he assimilates into honky hipster paradise.
Talk about whitewashing.
Where are the hordes of filthy bums that one steps over on every street corner?
Where are the sidewalks covered in vomit and trash every morning after a weekend evening in “Beer City, USA”?
Where are the weirdo protestors that take over the Vance monument with their “honk if you love (fill in the blank with shit nobody cares about)signs”?
Where are the angry bloggers bitching about low wages, lack of jobs and the dearth of low-cost housing, all the while telling their friends to come join them in the new Aquarius?
Tourists, don’t read this. IGNORE the man behind the curtain. Beer! Ziplining! Shining Happy People! Wheeee!
Sitting on a futon in Sebastopol, CA I saw an ad for Asheville on TV and thought “here we go…”
And it’s getting no better. As a local, I’m appalled by the traffic, the lines that form, and the constant drum beating to come, come, come.
What the Chamber should be doing is going after job creators who pay a living wage instead of putting out puff about how special and wonderful Asheville is – or used to be.
Asheville is home to some amazing filmmakers. Why they need to outsource projects like this is beyond me. As our tourism continues to upend the laid back life of this mountain city with its lack of parking and infrastructure to support this Renaissance, the least they could do is hire locals to create its propaganda.
Nothing here that any local advertising agency couldn’t do. I guess it makes the chamber feel more important to spend tax dollars created here with outside firms even though the talent to do it locally is here. And let’s not forget that New Orleans isn’t a bad place to have to go on business (wink wink).
There should be a requirement that CVB money be spent with local firms unless there is some solid proof it can’t be done locally.
I love how “…my brother…” at 00:27 shows the token black guy raising his craft beer as he assimilates into honky hipster paradise.
Talk about whitewashing.
Where are the hordes of filthy bums that one steps over on every street corner?
Where are the sidewalks covered in vomit and trash every morning after a weekend evening in “Beer City, USA”?
Where are the weirdo protestors that take over the Vance monument with their “honk if you love (fill in the blank with shit nobody cares about)signs”?
Where are the angry bloggers bitching about low wages, lack of jobs and the dearth of low-cost housing, all the while telling their friends to come join them in the new Aquarius?
Tourists, don’t read this. IGNORE the man behind the curtain. Beer! Ziplining! Shining Happy People! Wheeee!
i wanted to say something snarky about it, but it is a nice bit of video….
As a Brevard native, I’m always bitter when Asheville uses Looking Glass Falls in promotional materials.
Looks great.
Sitting on a futon in Sebastopol, CA I saw an ad for Asheville on TV and thought “here we go…”
And it’s getting no better. As a local, I’m appalled by the traffic, the lines that form, and the constant drum beating to come, come, come.
What the Chamber should be doing is going after job creators who pay a living wage instead of putting out puff about how special and wonderful Asheville is – or used to be.
Asheville is home to some amazing filmmakers. Why they need to outsource projects like this is beyond me. As our tourism continues to upend the laid back life of this mountain city with its lack of parking and infrastructure to support this Renaissance, the least they could do is hire locals to create its propaganda.
Well shit,I was just thinking… Asheville could certainly use some more advertising.