Brand USA Newsletter - June 2018

Brand USA is offering its partners innovative marketing opportunities that feature music and culinary themes to promote U.S.-bound travel and extend their advertising reach into specific global markets.

The destination marketing organization offers Brand USA Originals – its cooperative-marketing programs developed and offered exclusively on a proprietary basis.  Brand USA also creates other marketing packages in partnership with travel media and major travel and lifestyle brands. These programs are available to Brand USA’s growing network of more than 800 partners.

"We are excited to now offer a variety of video-based products among our Brand USA Originals," said Christopher Thompson, Brand USA's president and CEO said in announcing the programs in Denver at IPW 2018, a major exposition generating visitation to the U.S. "Video is a versatile and engaging medium, which can deliver inspiring, interactive storytelling programs that are highly effective for reaching targeted audiences."

The new Brand USA Original campaigns include:

• Culinary – Roadfood^TM - This episodic content series, highlights hidden gems and iconic American dining experiences available to travelers driving from one U.S. destination to another. The series will air on GoUSA TV, Brand USA's dedicated entertainment channel for streaming-TV platforms. The series will be on Brand USA's consumer website, VisitTheUSA.com and its social media channels.
• American Sound^TM - This series of music videos expands on the success of a recent campaign that used five interpretations of the classic song, "Do You Wanna Dance," to reflect the unique musical flavor of five different U.S. cities. Two new songs will be the basis for 10 more destination-inspired, music-video interpretations. The songs will air on Brand USA's GoUSA TV program, "American Sound" and on VisitTheUSA.com.
• Digital Tour-Operator Campaign – This pilot program, developed with six partners in the United Kingdom, used destination-specific digital media to increase U.S. bookings. The program, which ran from January to May, will resume in the fall. In 2019, Brand USA will expand the program to Brazil, France, and Germany.
• China ("Wander to the Rhythm") – This interactive application builds on Brand USA's current music-themed marketing. Chinese musical artists serve as guides for consumers who can take selfies and digitally insert themselves into featured U.S. cities, and accessorize the images with "stickers" that feature landmarks and attractions linked to the highlighted U.S. locations. They then can share the images on social media.
• Entertainment & Culture Digital Content– This web-based program highlights the people, places, and sounds that evoke different U.S. destinations. Partners can leverage Brand USA marketing that hinges on high-quality, music-themed content on VisitTheUSA.com around the world. The program also includes joint-marketing campaigns with Spotify. 

Brand USA’s new market-specific programs include:

• Canada (Rogers Media) – Brand USA partners can target the Canadian market using TV spots and digital ads on the Rogers Network. Rogers Media is Canada's leading communications and media company.
• Canada (FlightNetwork) – Allowing partners to target the Canadian market, this program uses travel promotions on the website, Facebook page, and email newsletters of FlightNetwork, Canada’s largest online travel agency.
• China (influencer program) – "I Know This Spot," created by American-born influencer Jessica Beinecke, introduces Chinese followers to “can't miss” places and attractions in different U.S. cities. Beinecke, who speaks fluent Mandarin, also presents the nuances of American culture, like ordering a Starbucks drink or accessing a city subway.
• News U.K. – This campaign showcases the diversity of travel experiences available in the USA through combining advertorials in The Times and The Sunday Times, leading U.K. newspapers, with Storyful, a prominent global content creator.