Boosting North of Boston's Tourism with Soofa Signs
The North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) recently embarked on an exciting advertising journey by launching their first standalone out-of-home (OOH) campaign on Soofa Signs. Their innovative approach aimed to build brand awareness and attract visitors to the Boston area from beyond the local region. In an insightful conversation, Nancy Gardella, Executive Director of North of Boston, shared her experiences and takeaways with CVB’s digital Soofa campaign.
Embracing Unique Technology
Gardella, a seasoned tourism professional with prior experience using Soofa during her tenure at the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce, was already familiar with the potential of Soofa Signs. She observed an aesthetic transformation in Soofa’s technology from pre-COVID to the present day, stating, "What a difference the visuals are, and what a tremendous improvement. I’m so impressed by who the signs can reach and how the screen looks."
Soofa’s enhanced visuals and innovative features like hyperlocal placements offered compelling reasons for North of Boston to invest in a three month digital ad campaign.
Strategic Campaign Goals
When considering imagery for their campaign, The North of Boston CVB knew they needed to make a big impact. As Gardella explained, "We need to cast a wide net to build brand awareness... so we thought an image of a breaching whale would likely get people's attention as they were walking by." Their striking digital ad served as a key visual element, designed to captivate passersby and evoke a sense of curiosity about the Boston region.
With Soofa’s online platform, Soofa Talk, North of Boston had the flexibility to upload as many digital ads as they wanted to ensure their campaign reached as many interested eyes as possible. To further measure the campaign’s effectiveness, the CVB incorporated a QR code into their advertisements. This allowed them to track engagement and drive traffic to their newly designed website.
Targeted Placement
Choosing the right Soofa Sign locations for their campaign was a strategic decision aimed at reaching potential visitors who might already be familiar with the Massachusetts Coast. North of Boston ran ads on 14 signs in various areas in the state including Framingham and Northampton, and in nearby states like Providence, RI, and Albany, NY.
Gardella highlighted the importance of selecting these markets, stating, "We worked with the Soofa team to choose impactful signs in busy neighborhoods.”
Over the course of North of Boston’s three month campaign, their ads ran for a total of 4,779 hours and accumulated 436,988 estimated impressions. This targeted approach helped maximize their campaign’s impact, ensuring that the ads were seen by individuals who were likely to consider the Boston area as a travel destination.
Positive Customer Experience
One of the standout aspects of working with Soofa was the exceptional customer service. "It was a really great experience. We got regular updates on the campaign and it was very easy to upload our digital ads,” said Gardella.
Overall, the North of Boston CVB’s campaign on Soofa Signs represents a step forward in their marketing efforts. By leveraging Soofa’s unique technology, strategic creative design, and targeted placement, they successfully built brand awareness and engaged potential visitors.
As Gardella said, "By working with Soofa, we had three great months of amplifying our voice by saying to people, 'It's almost summer, and “The North of Boston region of Massachusetts is an amazing place to visit.'"
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