One of our challenges with marketing Lexington as a tourist destination is that potential travelers don’t really have a positive or negative image of us. They know us for horses and bourbon, but after that they struggle with who we are, and that often leaves us in the dreaded gray area.
As a way to combat those challenges, we are embarking on various marketing tactics to take Lexington to the people. Most products and services don’t gain their full value until someone actually experiences it first-hand.
Our main goal with this tactic was to create a brand awareness experience to get people thinking about Lexington as a future vacation or getaway. We know, through research, that the Philadelphia market is one that is actively searching and booking trips to Lexington. We also know that there is a direct flight from Philadelphia to Lexington. So when the opportunity came to partner with a magazine to create a Lexington event in the Philadelphia market, we jumped at the gun (pun intended, you’ll get it later) to do so.
We were able to pull this event off with the help of our Lexington partners featuring Chef Ouita Michel, Woodford Reserve Distillery, Alltech Brewing and Jean Farris Winery & Bistro. Food, cocktails, wine and bluegrass music – it truly was a Lexington experience.
By the end of night, our guests were educated and excited about Lexington, and made some very positive comments to us and our partners. We look forward to taking Lexington to the people again in the near future.
For a look at the complete photo gallery of this event in partnership with Garden & Gun magazine, go here.
To check out more of what we are doing, visit us on the web at http://www.visitlex.com and http://www.sharethelex.com.
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