Engagement

Rural communities often face challenges when competing for visitor dollars, including limited resources, marketing expertise, and opportunities for collaboration. The Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) recognized this gap and sought to empower rural destinations, tribal entities, and regional tourism associations through a dedicated program aimed at amplifying their marketing efforts to attract overnight visitors and drive economic growth.

Solution

As AOT’s agency of record, Off Madison Ave partnered with AOT to create the innovative Cooperative Marketing Program, a tiered approach that offered a robust portfolio of advertising initiatives and tools for rural partners. Each year, our team surveys the cooperative partners to better understand what each destination needs and what gaps exist in their current marketing mix. From there, we create diverse range of offerings, including traditional media, outdoor, and digital efforts as well as new programs such as social influencer collaborations, research opportunities, economic development services, and custom product categories.

In addition to the standalone opportunities for rural partners, we buy Anchor Placements, which are designed to provide additional exposure and ensure campaign viability in crucial markets. Anchor ads serve as a boost for programs that required added impression share or reach. These placements aligned with the Arizona Office of Tourism’s Domestic Campaign goals, supported minimum buy thresholds, and included premium opportunities such as Arizona-focused print sections and high-visibility out-of-home buys in key markets.

Central to this program is a custom, groundbreaking interactive, web-based “shop” where partners could seamlessly discover, review, and select programs tailored to their goals.This “shop” not only simplified the decision-making process but also ensured that even the smallest partners could access impactful marketing solutions.

This strategic blend of customizable standalone offerings and supported anchor placements ensured that all partners, regardless of size, had access to marketing initiatives that fit their unique needs while contributing to the broader success of the statewide campaign.

Impact

The program’s strategic, tiered structure provided flexible, cost-effective solutions for partners, allowing them to compete on a larger stage. The interactive “shop” became a cornerstone of the program, democratizing access to high-value marketing tools and enabling partners to make data-driven choices aligned with their budgets.

With Off Madison Ave’s support, the Arizona Office of Tourism continues to set a benchmark in rural tourism marketing, fostering collaboration, increasing visitation, and ensuring that Arizona’s rural destinations thrive.