Feature image for Winter Tourism Campaign

Winter Tourism Campaign

In Winter, Explore Minnesota’s Star of the North™ advertising continues to feature longform “Travel Story” videos (ranging from 4-8 minutes) introducing and welcoming new travelers to the state. We are excited to launch a new story featuring a Minnesotan hosting a Californian and a New Yorker for a quintessential up north adventure. Big laughs, big bites and big(ish) fish.

How to Spend the Ultimate Ice Fishing Winter Vacation in Minnesota Travel Vlog | Star of the North

The Winter campaign, running November 10, 2025 through January, 30, 2026, focuses on digital and social channels that offer granular targeting, efficient reach and robust reporting. Priority will be placed on social and digital video, along with key storytelling and website traffic-driving tactics. Strong visuals and stories, paired with precise audience targeting, will ensure Explore Minnesota’s messaging stands out.

Our niche campaign strategy will shift to “interest bundles,” which include outdoor interests and culture-based interests, alongside traditional regional brand campaigns. Geographic targeting will consist of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and parts of Ohio, leveraging insights around propensity to travel regionally and high ROI markets within the region. This focused buy will also help to increase the frequency of our messaging allowing for more top of mind awareness with target audiences.

Tactics will include a new, always-on approach to search marketing and social remarketing to reach audiences all year long. Winter-specific tactics will include connected TV, digital video, digital display, paid social, native display, rich media, and audio streaming. New this year, a partnership with Roku will allow Minnesota to stand out from competitors and drive more engagement with the Star of the North longform stories that feature experiences and itineraries across the state.

Other seasonal initiatives:

  • 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Junior Ice Hockey Championship: This new partnership with Minnesota Sports and Events includes a tournament sponsorship with a “We Love Hockey” photo-op, in-arena signage, radio broadcast, fan guide inclusion, plus PR and marketing inclusion igniting passion for the game.
  • Minnesota Frost-PWHL: The renewed partnership includes TV broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network, TV-visible dasher board signage in front of the team bench and a game-day social media graphic sponsorship. Goals included supporting Minnesota women’s professional sports, promoting tourism, and elevating Minnesota’s identity nationwide as the “State of Hockey”.
  • Ralph Engelstad Arena – UND Fighting Hawks Men’s Hockey: This new partnership includes in-arena signage, radio spots and interviews, a Minnesota Gameday sweepstakes campaign and featured name mentions, and more.
  • Chicago Bears: This new partnership includes a “Windy City to Twin Cities” Gameday sweepstakes campaign and in-stadium TV network advertising at Soldier Field.
  • Badger Sports Properties: This new partnership includes football radio spots, basketball baseline LED TV-visible signage, a Minnesota Gameday sweepstakes campaign, and video spots running throughout Camp Randall, Kohl Center, UW Fieldhouse, and La Bahn Arena.
  • Hawkeye Sports Properties: The renewed partnership includes radio spots, live radio features, TV-visible in-game signage, a Minnesota Gameday sweepstakes campaign, travel guide distribution, and digital ads.
  • Northwestern Athletics: The renewed partnership includes radio spots, “Out of Town Scores” radio feature sponsorship, TV-visible in-game signage running during all Northwestern vs. Minnesota home and away games, a Minnesota Gameday sweepstakes campaign, travel guide distribution, and digital ads.

Other marketing partnerships include USA Today Publications–Chicago Bears Official Yearbook, Pride Journeys, Sun Country Airlines, Minnesota Historical Society, and Minnesota Grown.

View the FY26 Explore Minnesota Partnerships.

Learn about other seasonal marketing campaigns from Explore Minnesota here. Have questions about our tourism marketing? Email Jared Laabs, Campaign Marketing Specialist.