Team up with Explore Minnesota in the marketplace in an effort to increase tourism to and within Minnesota. With the cooperative marketing program, one of our goals is to provide meaningful discounts; something we recognize the industry needs now more than ever.
Who can participate?
The program is available to all Minnesota tourism-related businesses in the public and private sector such as: convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus, lodging properties, attractions, outdoor recreation outfitters, theater/performing arts groups, museums, sightseeing companies, destination retailers, golf courses, hospitality businesses and events open to the public. To see if a certain business would qualify to participate, contact Derek Ramthun (information below).
Why participate?
The program is a great way to stretch your marketing dollars, try a new/emerging tactic at less of a risk or get into a prominent publication/run a campaign that perhaps your budget doesn't allow on its own.
How do I purchase a co-op?
When you're ready to move forward with one of our co-op options, contact the representative listed under each program. That person will work with you to get your campaign up and running and answer any questions you may have regarding their program.
What else should I know?
There are Explore Minnesota co-branding requirements for most programs. Please refer to each program's listing for details.
Regional Match funds and Marketing Grant dollars from Explore Minnesota cannot be used to pay for co-op programs.
The purpose and messaging of your co-op ad or content must be promoting your destination or business as a tourist destination or activity.
Co-op Contact:
Derek Ramthun
651-757-1843
Send an Email
Beer Dabbler Land of 10,000 Drinks Map & Banner Ads
Beer Dabbler exists to elevate the craft beer industry and connect consumers with craft beer brands to forge lasting bonds, increase consumer education, and broaden brand awareness. Land of 10,000 Drinks Map is an online, mobile-friendly, interactive map of Minnesota’s craft breweries, wineries, cideries, and distilleries. Users can search the map by a specific location or business name or allow their mobile devices to use their location to see what’s immediately around them. From there, they can narrow their search by viewing just breweries, wineries, cideries, or distilleries, and/ or filter by amenities, including food, outdoor seating, live entertainment, tours, and off-sale product availability. These features allow users to discover what’s important to them among Minnesota’s hundreds of craft beverage producers.
Explore Minnesota and Beer Dabbler are teaming up to offer Minnesota Tourism Industry businesses the opportunity to purchase co-op exclusive rates for a Point of Interest (POI) on the map, and/or a Results Column Banner Ad (400x158px) in six or 12-month packages.
Rates:
Point-of-Interest on Map for Six Months: $252
Point-of-Interest on Map for 12 Months: $504
Banner Ad in results column for Six Months: $714
Banner Ad in results column for 12 Months: $1,428
Limited: Participants can purchase no more than one Point of Interest option and one Banner Ad option, subject to available inventory.
Reach Explore Minnesota’s most engaged followers and new audiences alike by taking over Explore Minnesota’s Instagram Story for 24 hours. Using Instagram Stories for marketing allows you to tap into an active user base with an armory of features and creativity. Using up to 10 of your best photos/videos, this co-op will tell your story and get people interacting with your brand. Contact Caitlin for photo/video requirements and availability.
For more than five decades, the Minnesota Monthly brand has spurred the most loyal of audiences who trust us and our advertisers to show them how to live their best lives in and around our great state. Through print and digital platforms their affluent audiences turn to them for unparalleled service journalism that cuts through the clutter and focuses on substance… on what matters most. They provide insightful, useful content on not only travel & adventure, health & wellness, and food & drinks, but also arts & entertainment, fashion, and current events uniting us all.
In the Minnesota Monthly Digital Package, participating advertisers will receive:
75,000 run-of-site ad impressions
One (1) advertiser-supplied native article up to 500 words to appear on MinnesotaMonthly.com with images and links, and promoted in our Daily e-newsletter
One sponsored social media post on Minnesota Monthly’s Facebook or Instagram
One Preferred Reader’s Club Exclusive Offer email
The 75,000 impressions, native article, Daily e-newsletter, and PRC all must be co-branded with Explore Minnesota logo; the social post must either tag Explore Minnesota’s Facebook or Instagram account or use #OnlyinMN.
Through Targeted Digital Display Advertising you can reach your most likely visitors in a remarkably affordable manner. Display ads will be targeted to visitors in markets of your choice. Based on overlaying credit card spend in Minnesota, your advertising will reach those drive market travelers who had visited during the past 18 months. Ads will be delivered to prior visitors to your destination from key source markets as they visit one or more of the brand-safe websites in our curated network. These sites are in three main categories: News, Travel, and Lifestyle. Each ad will include the Explore Minnesota logo, and link directly to each industry participant’s website.
As a way to maximize available budget while reaching consumers when they are actively searching for your specific services and solutions, Orange142 has developed a unique ad targeting solution that leverages the same keywords, phrases and intent utilized in Paid Search but to serve more engaging and creative display ad placements.
Search Based Display utilizes a Cost Per Click (CPC) rate structure that allows for guaranteed web traffic. Additionally, there are no fluctuations in costs from competitors, quality scores or time of year like commonly found on Paid Search campaigns. Search Based Display campaigns, on average, have higher click through rates compared to traditionally targeting display campaigns by serving ads to consumers who have active search histories relevant to the solutions and services promoted.
Rate: $1,500 for 5,000+ Clicks
Limited: 10 available | One per industry participant
Shrpa.com is the community engagement platform that makes it fun and easy to share and discover adventures in your community. Explore Minnesota is teaming up with Shrpa to feature tourism businesses and attractions, allowing travelers to explore "like a local." Through this co-op, you’ll be simplifying marketing efforts and delivering more engaging content that inspires travelers. Each co-op package includes a year’s subscription to Shrpa’s Community Engagement Platform and at least one of Shrpa’s top content creators will travel to your community to experience it for themselves (with guidance from you). This first-hand experience results in amazing written adventures highlighting your destination. Here are the main elements of the program:
Community Page: Highlight all the adventures in your area with a community page. Feature your community, its adventures, and the creators contributing to your adventures on Shrpa.com. Each community page will include the Explore Minnesota logo.
Site Integration: With just a couple of lines of code, you can bring all your adventures back to your website. Set it up once and always see the latest engaging content.
Content Everywhere: With amazing adventures and highly sharable content, you will want to promote your local adventures everywhere. Share on your website, social media, and even your visitors' guide.
Rates:
Tier 1/Day Tripper Package: $1,031.25 for 4 Adventures by 1 creator
Tier 2/Weekender Package: $1,593.75 for 12 Adventures by 3 creators
Tier 3/Destination/Region Package: $3,000 for 32 Adventures by 8 creators
Social Media marketing continues to be one of the greatest ways to reach and engage with potential visitors. The Star Tribune can assist in building that engagement and relationship through this Facebook and Instagram co-op. This campaign is priced on a cost per click platform across both social channels. In addition to driving clicks to your website, this type of advertising and engagement has a further effect on generating post comments, likes and shares, conversation and deeper brand advocacy. Posts will be run through the Explore Minnesota Facebook and Instagram accounts, so you can leverage the strong brand that has been built over the years. Your message will also include the hashtag #OnlyinMN, which has been used over a million times on Instagram alone!
Instagram Stories are a unique feature on the platform that allows you to share moments through photos and video, and in this case, in a paid capacity supported by Explore Minnesota. These Instagram Stories will run through the Explore Minnesota Instagram account, driving clicks to participant’s social pages, event pages or website. Through geo, demo and behavioral targeting, this type of advertising will have a further effect on engagement, conversation, and deeper brand advocacy.
If content creation is a need for your business or organization, the Forum Communications team is offering this co-op that provides two custom written articles (including embedded videos and Facebook feeds) plus native advertising. Native is one of the strongest ways to get people to learn about tourism businesses and organizations. Forum Communications has a wide network of targeted sites to place participant articles (based on geography, demographics, and behaviors).
Your native ad will be placed next to organic content online, giving users high-impact, natural exposure to your sponsored content. Each native ad will include either the Explore Minnesota logo (or brand hashtag, #OnlyinMN, in the headline or copy of the ad if the logo cannot be accommodated). The Explore Minnesota logo will also be present at the bottom of the article page, whether on a Forum Communications news site or a web page on the industry participants’ website.
Rate: $1,000 for two custom written articles and 200,000 native ad impressions
Space Deadline: Two weeks prior to targeted start date
Limited: 10 available | One per industry participant
Behaviorally targeted emails are still one of the most effective ways to reach a highly engaged audience for tourism, destinations and events. Leverage the Star Tribune’s unsurpassed behavioral reach and enhanced email capabilities to pinpoint the ideal traveler’s inbox!
Star Tribune will send email deployments to 60,000 targeted active consumers. Email list can be completely customized by participant (geo, demo and behavioral targets). Each email will include an Explore Minnesota header and footer, with the body of the email dedicated/linking to the industry participant’s website. Each email program also includes the added value of a Star Tribune Travel FYI email deployment to 15,000 recipients ($1,000 Value).
Rate: $400 per email
Limited: 15 Available | One per industry participant
Reach today’s engaged audiences in the living room big screen like never before and gain access to over-the-top (OTT) premium inventory with no ad blockers, bots or below-the-fold concerns. MediaOne’s Connected TV program connects your :15 or :30 second video ad with users via smart TV platforms, gaming consoles or dedicated streaming devices like Roku, Chromecast, AppleTV, AmazonFire and more. MediaOne will guide with a strategy to make the campaign more measurable. All videos need to include the Explore Minnesota logo in the corner throughout or at the beginning and end of each video.
With more than 1 billion unique users visiting YouTube each month, video ads offer an extraordinary opportunity to reach large audiences. This video marketing co-op offers you the ability to include YouTube in your marketing mix and diversify your reach across platforms. In addition to gaining more exposure, you’ll reach target audiences using criteria such as demographics, geographics, topics, and viewer interests. MediaOne will help manage your channel, upload videos, and of course, promote (targeting includes both website RT and prospecting new people through a custom audience).
The in-stream ads play before, during or after another video. Viewers see the first five seconds of the video and can continue watching or choose to skip. Charges incur only when your video is watched for 30 seconds or to the end for shorter videos. Ads show on all devices including Connected TVs. No Explore Minnesota logo is required on the video itself, as there will be an Explore Minnesota banner ad that accompanies each video.
Rates:
Tier 1: $1,500 for 27,500 guaranteed 30 second views
Tier 2: $2,250 for 45,000 guaranteed 30 second views
Tier 3: $3,000 for 67,000 guaranteed 30 second views
This program helps participating destinations position their local businesses and points of interest to be both complete and compelling within Google’s products, which has become the world’s largest travel planning platform. It will provide immediate, tangible support from the DMO on behalf of local businesses in order to create long-term value and potential economic development. The program will generate a measurable increase in reach of existing destination assets, including imagery and business data and expand the digital capabilities of destination marketing staff. See below for the breakdown of services and deliverables that make up the Google DMO Program for each participating DMO.
Invite AAA readers to experience your destination or attraction with a message in an Explore Minnesota four-page spread featured in the March/April/May and September/October 2022 issues. Reach over 870,000 Iowa and Minnesota members per issue of AAA Living. The purchase of advertising space has no relationship to editorial coverage in this publication.
Each participant will receive:
Your location: Marked with corresponding number on map of Minnesota on pages 2-3
Listing on pages 2-3 that includes photo, 25 words of text, and web address
Event/activity listing on the fourth page: one event/activity per issue that includes name of event or activity, dates, 20-word description and website (if applicable)
Added value of reader service listing to entire Midwest circulation of 2.1 million homes
Rate: $1,500 for both issues of AAA Living (March/April/May and September/October 2022).
Invite AAA readers to experience your destination or attraction with a message to bicyclists in an Explore Minnesota two-page spread featured in the June/July/August 2022 issue. Reach over 1 million readers in the Minnesota Bike Section; AAA members in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and Nebraska. The purchase of advertising space has no relationship to editorial coverage in this publication.
Each participant will receive:
Your location marked with corresponding number on map of Minnesota
Listing that includes a photo, 25 words of text, and website
Added value of reader service listing to entire Midwest circulation of 2.1 million homes
Artful Living is an elegant, intelligent publication highlighting culture, travel, style, home, adventure, food, drink and profiles meant to inspire and entertain. Published quarterly, it features beautiful design and engaging original content, bringing the best of the North to an affluent audience with impeccable taste. More than simply a magazine, the Artful Living lifestyle brand is headquartered in Minneapolis. Produced in the North with national appeal. There will be a special Explore Minnesota section within the adventure section of the Autumn 2021 (in homes October) and Winter 2022 (in homes January) issues of Artful Living. The purchase of advertising space has no relationship to editorial coverage in this publication.
Rates:
Ad Size
Co-op Net Rate
1/2 page
$748.75
Full page
$1,487.50
2-page spread
$2,475
Space Deadlines: Autumn 2021 issue: August 3 | Winter 2022 issue: November 9
Iowa Sportsman is an award-winning hunting and fishing magazine designed to reach the outdoor enthusiast. The statewide, subscription-based circulation hits your target audience of local hunters and anglers throughout Iowa. More than 65% of the magazine features editorial content, which results in higher readership and a long shelf life. The magazine is also distributed at Iowa’s largest consumer hunting and fishing shows.
Minnesota will featured in a special four-page spread in the December 2021 and May 2022 issues. Don’t miss this opportunity to promote your fishing destination to a highly targeted fishing audience. Co-op advertisers will receive the added value of a forum banner ad on iowasportsman.com for 30 days, included in the digital issue that will be on the homepage of iowasportsman.com for 30 days and sent to 90,000+ verified emails. The purchase of advertising space has no relationship to editorial coverage in this publication.
Rates: $285 per 1/6 page ad
Space Deadlines: December issue: October 5 | May issue: March 4
Midwest Hunting and Fishing is one of the largest-reaching platforms that connects to sportsmen across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Nebraska. The publication reaches an average audience of 30,000 in print and 16,000 in digital with every issue. Their reach will connect you to the $3.18 billion fishing retail industry in the five-state market.
Minnesota will be featured in a six-page destination section in the Winter 2021 issue to promote ice fishing, and the Spring 2022 issue to promote spring/summer fishing. Midwest Hunting and Fishing will promote the Explore Minnesota destination pages with a six-day targeted Facebook campaign. The special section will also be a feature spot on midwesthuntfish.com, where each advertiser will have a clickable 360x300 poster ad. The purchase of advertising space has no relationship to editorial coverage in this publication.
Rates: 1/4-page: $345 | 1/2-page: $485
Space Deadlines: Winter Issue: October 29 | Spring Issue: January 28
Midwest Rider and Wisconsin Snowmobile News will feature Minnesota in the November 2021 issues, which will include 1/6-page, full-color industry participant ads. Your message will be hand delivered to over 70,000 snowmobile households and reach over 200,000 targeted readers - 45,000 delivered to Wisconsin's AWSC members in Wisconsin Snowmobile News (WSN), another 25,000 mailed directly to Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, south Dakota and Michigan's dedicated members and Midwest Rider (MWR) magazine's snowmobile enthusiasts. Plus, your print ad is embedded and linked online to over 10,000 additional digital readers per issue. The purchase of advertising spacehas no relationship to editorial coverage in this publication.
Mpls.St.Paul Magazine provides timely, dependable, and interesting information to its readers about the people, places, and events that form Minneapolis and St. Paul. The fundamental reason the magazine exists is to enhance people's lives by telling them the best places to go, what to see, what's new, and who's who. Published monthly by MSP Communications in downtown Minneapolis, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine ’s more than 268,000 readers are smart, affluent, and responsive. The magazine is sold on newsstands throughout the Twin Cities area and the state of Minnesota and also distributed by subscription.
Mpls.St.Paul Magazine has teamed up with Explore Minnesota to offer an opportunity to reach this affluent market in an Explore Minnesota insider’s guide section within the September 2021 "Fall Travel" and November 2021 "Winter Getaways" issues of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine . The purchase of advertising space has no relationship to editorial coverage in this publication.
Rates:
Ad Size
Co-op Net Rate
1/6 page
$675
1/3 page
$1,330
1/2 page
$1,995
Full Page
$3,995
Space Deadlines: September issue: July 21 | November issue: September 16
For more than five decades, Minnesota Monthly magazine has spurred the most loyal of audiences who trust us and our advertisers to show them how to live their best lives in and around our great state. Published seven times a year along with the market-leading Daily enewsletter by Greenspring Media, Minnesota Monthly’s 343,000 affluent readers are among the most loyal of audiences relying on unparalleled service journalism that cuts through the clutter and focuses on substance…on what matters most. Minnesota Monthly provides insightful, useful content on not only travel & adventure, health & wellness, and food & drinks, but also arts & entertainment, fashion, and current events uniting us all.
Minnesota Monthly will feature a Winter Wonders Special Section in the Jan/Feb 2022 issue. In addition to their ad size of choice in the special section, participating advertisers will receive a mention in the advertorial feature as well as one, four-color image. This special section will also be hosted on MinnesotaMonthly.com with links to all industry participants’ websites.
Snow Goer is the premier brand for snowmobile enthusiasts who live to ride. With the highest paid circulation magazine and a loyally followed website, it validates that consumers have come to trust Snow Goer. You will reach a national audience of over 51,000+ active snowmobilers and more than 125,000 monthly unique visitors of snowgoer.com. Explore Minnesota will be featured in the January 2022 issue (issue starts mailing 12/13/21) with two to four pages of advertorial content along with space for 1/6-page, full-color industry ads. Aside from the print publication, the issue will be posted on SnowGoer.com. Each participant will receive the added value of their logo with a link to their website in two Snow Goer subscriber emails to be sent in November and December. The purchase of advertising space has no relationship to editorial coverage in this publication.
