Winter Tourism Campaign
In Winter, Explore Minnesota’s Star of the North™ advertising continued to feature longform “Travel Story” videos (ranging from 4-8 minutes) introducing and welcoming new travelers to the state:
- A multi-generational family of wellness seekers from California
- A group of friends and adventurers from Toronto
The videos launched in November 2024, introducing a mix of awe-inspiring natural Winter cinematography and cozy and unique Minnesota experiences. They follow first-time travelers to Minnesota who embrace all kinds of winter fun and relaxation, including curling in St. Paul, ice climbing in Winona, hunting for vintage vinyl in Minneapolis, and snowshoeing in Nisswa.
Winter Regional/Diversity Marketing
Winter Niche Marketing
Explore Minnesota continued its niche campaigns in winter and invited travelers to explore the passions of winter sports and performing arts.
Stemming from excellent results in niche campaigns to date, the Explore Minnesota team pursued targeted media tactics to continue to amplify the impact. For instance, media tactics included custom content packages with Vanity Fair, Condé Nast, Matador, and Outside.com and featured native articles, display ads, mobile rich media, and social amplification. Explore Minnesota layered on tactics like AI-powered native display content and headlines, Facebook/Instagram/TikTok ads, Connected TV, iHeart Radio, programmatic display ads and various video streaming tactics.
The Regional/Diversity campaign for Winter 2024 targeted:
- In-state in Minnesota
- Other Midwest states (Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Northern Illinois, South Dakota, Wisconsin)
- Colorado
- Select Canadian cities (Winnipeg and Thunder Bay)
Tactics included an AFAR custom content package with articles, emails, social media, and high-impact units; programmatic video; native and display ads through a vast array of media partners; broadcast TV in Milwaukee and Omaha; programmatic interactive display, video and connected TV packages; Facebook/Instagram/TikTok ads; and YouTube skippable and non-skippable ads.
Winter Partnerships
To support the winter advertising campaigns, Explore Minnesota also partnered with the following organizations:
- Minnesota Frost - PWHL --- This new partnership included TV spots 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 amplifying Minnesota as the "State of Hockey."
- Iowa Wolves --- This partnership continued with branding assets and promotional sweepstakes during the regular season, including a "Final Score" social media sponsorship.
- Hawkeye Sports Properties --- This partnership continued from the fall and included radio spots, live radio features, TV-visible in-game signage, a Minnesota Gameday sweepstakes in early 2025, and digital ads.
- Northwestern Athletics --- This continued partnership included 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 in early 2025, travel guide distribution, and digital ads.
- MN Slopes --- This partnership with the Minnesota Ski Areas Association targeted prospective skiing/boarding enthusiasts through a multimedia marketing approach, including KARE 11 ski reports, digital and weather sponsorship, Orange 142 native and digital, social media outreach, SEM, and various partner communications.
Other marketing partnerships included Sun Country Airlines and Minnesota Grown. Click here for a full list of Explore Minnesota’s FY25 partnerships.
Learn about other seasonal marketing campaigns from Explore Minnesota here. Have questions about our tourism marketing? Email Jared Laabs, Campaign Marketing Specialist.