The tourism authority for Niagara Falls is looking to appeal to North Americans who might be itching for a spontaneous autumn getaway.
In its new campaign “Plan to Be Spontaneous,” developed with creative agency Zerotrillion, Niagara Falls Tourism casts the city as the ideal locale for impromptu trips for travellers on both sides of the border.
“So much of summer travel is scrupulously scheduled in advance so by the time fall rolls around, we could all use a vacation from our calendars,” says Braden Detacher, associate creative director at Zerotrillion. “Being such an iconic destination so close to home, Niagara Falls is the perfect place to embrace a more unplanned approach to travel.”
The campaign targets both couples and friends, casting Niagara Falls as an ideal destination for a romantic escape or just a great place to hang out with your group.
It is anchored by a 30-second spot that showcases a couple indulging in various activities, from go-karts and hot tubs to the casino and scenic restaurants overlooking the Falls. That spot is also running in 15- and 6-second cutdowns. Another spot features a group of friends, and has both 15- and 6-second versions.
“Niagara Falls has so much going on – more than people realize: the Falls, yes, but it’s entertainment, dining, experiences,” says Aubrey Podolsky, managing director and chief strategy officer at Zerotrillion. “For Canadian and U.S. travellers within driving distance, this campaign makes Niagara Falls feel almost inevitable.”
While Canadians love visiting the Falls, it was key to the strategy to also target American audiences, says Alex Paquin, founder and CEO of the agency, because “overnight visitors from the States often stay longer and have a higher spend per visitor.”
“The films focus on the mindset that the two geographies may share: fall is a great time for a trip, but not one that requires a ton of planning or time off,” adds Paquin. “The variation in messaging [for Canadians and Americans] was in the bottom of the funnel, specifically retargeted and search, where we did highlight that the U.S. dollar goes further here.”
The campaign doesn’t speak solely to day-trippers either. While Niagara Falls does receive many such visitors, it also sees millions from all over the world, says Paquin. With this campaign, he adds, “our focus is on increasing overnight visitation.”
The campaign will be in the market for six weeks, running across Connected TV, Meta, TikTok, YouTube, search and display. Zerotrillion handled the effort from ent to end, working with Merchant on production and Smile + Wave on post.
