Tourism: Television Spot Promoting ‘California Attitude’ Begins Airing
Contending with a soft year, the California Travel and Tourism Commission recently launched a one-spot television campaign promoting the state’s visitor industry.
Details on how much the Sacramento-based group is spending on the specific campaign were not available.
However, the commission’s annual marketing and advertising budget currently totals $3.4 million.
A spokesman for the commission said there are no figures illustrating how the state’s tourism industry has fared so far this year.
As a result, the commission is basing its approach on anecdotal research.
A release from the commission said the weakening national economy, high air travel costs and media coverage leading to a damaging perception of California’s energy problems could keep this year’s travel revenues lower than expected.
The 30-second spot began airing last month. It will continue to air throughout most of 2002, making it the tourism commission’s first year-round campaign.
The commercial will air in Phoenix, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Portland, Ore., Seattle and Denver, all of which are considered key markets.
The commercial is centered around a character named Doug, who visits various areas of California during a vacation.
He stops in what the tourism commission considered “state travel icons” at Los Angeles, San Francisco, Napa Valley, Stinson Beach, which is located near San Francisco, and Joshua Tree National Park.
The commercial focuses on expressing what the tourism commission calls “the California attitude,” which they define as the notion the state’s residents live life to the fullest and put pleasure first.
The ad was created by Mering & Associates Advertising, an agency based in Sacramento.
Caroline Betteta, executive director of the California Travel and Tourism Commission, said the spot is a “natural evolution” for her organization’s advertising efforts.
