Make Something. Better. #madebysway

Together at Last

When the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to tear Norfolk and Virginia Beach’s vital summer tourism seasons apart, we helped the two cities keep it together, with nation-leading hotel occupancy for 20 weeks straight.

There’s a first time for everything.

In the midst of a global pandemic, and as travel restrictions began to slowly ease, Sway brought VisitNorfolk and Visit Virginia Beach together for the first time ever in a joint effort to save their summer, by making a measurable impact on peak season hotel occupancy, visitation, and tourism revenue – and save it, we did. 

We love it when a plan comes together.

With COVID-convention breaking creative anchored by the Etta James classic “At Last”, a data-driven media strategy developed against empiricals ranging from traveler sentiment to comparative infection rates of competitive markets, and a digital discount platform in Bandwango offering deals all summer long, we were able to target audiences with the best both cities had to offer and make a measurable impact on ensuring the area’s occupancy and attraction revenue didn’t face irreversible harm.

Vacation...at last!

Showcasing all that Norfolk-Virginia Beach has to offer, and everything our audience missed while stuck in quarantine, the melodic :30 spot offered a welcomed respite from the stress of the pandemic lockdown – welcoming people back together, and back to vacation, in Norfolk-Virginia Beach.

Saving summer, and your sanity.

A series of relatable, tongue-in-cheek :15s marketed the combined cities as a can’t miss destination to safely escape the pandemic quarantine — encouraging families, couples, and millennials to make some memories of 2020 worth holding on to.

Data on display.

We developed a data-driven digital-first media strategy against empiricals and additional travel impact assessment indicators – like traveler sentiment, hotel booking forecasts, peak infection periods and lifting of mandates, and the impacts on competing destinations. Statistical models were also created based on domestic travel searches — which guided our market analysis in selection, entry-and-exit strategy, and expansion.

Jump on the Bandwango.

All creative and media drove visitors to a digital discount platform in Bandwango that encouraged them to sign up for a free, mobile-exclusive “At Last Pass” that instantly delivered deals from 80+ tourism partners.

Project Highlights

Nation-Leading Occupancy

Norfolk-Virginia Beach’s hotel occupancy was #1 out of the top 25 markets in the nation for 20 weeks straight, with 11 consecutive weeks at a 60%+ hotel occupancy rate.

COVID-Busting Bookings

Over the summer months and amidst a global pandemic, the campaign generated more than 7,500+ hotel bookings across both cities.

Driving Traffic

The campaign garnered over 2,000 “At Last Pass” sign-ups and nearly 150,000 pageviews of visitnorfolkvabeach.com.

Earned Media

Our story of togetherness resulted in 20+ in and out of state press features totaling an estimated $63,000 in earned media exposure.