The DFW metropolitan region is thriving with several great cities commanding a draw. Almost every destination claims to have it all, highlighting relatively similar categorical history, art/culture, dining, shopping and outdoor recreation experiences as reasons to visit. The team at Visit McKinney — the destination marketing organization for the city of McKinney, Texas — recognized this challenge and their need to show they’re more than just a Texas town with friendly locals and “something for everyone”. In order to stand out among a crowded market, they needed to effectively communicate what makes McKinney truly exceptional, in addition to base-level attributes that most DMO’s espouse.
The Challenge
Discovery Workshop
Brand Strategy
Integrated Marketing Strategy
Video Production
Photography
Ad Campaign
AGENCY SERVICES
We partnered with Visit McKinney to create a holistic brand message that could be used across all visitor-centric marketing materials. The ultimate goal is to create repeat visitors to the area, whether that’s getting people to put McKinney on their must-see list or encouraging those around town and in the surrounding area to explore.
To do this, we created an insider cool around everything McKinney, to both entice new visitors and make their people proud. “If You Know, You Go” was born to tease our audiences to discover for themselves what we’re positioning as insider knowledge. This tempts explorers to find out for themselves what makes McKinney so special, without straight-up telling them. This concept added intrigue to something that can’t easily be explained, because McKinney is greater than the sum of its parts. What makes it special is almost indefinable, because it takes a trip to truly understand.
Our Solution
“In a crowded destination marketing landscape, Wier / Stewart brings a thoughtful creative approach that helps us stand out in a real way.”
Aaron Werner / Executive Director
“The partnership with Wier / Stewart has been incredibly valuable. Their strategic approach and design expertise have elevated our messaging and creative, helping bring our campaigns to life.”
Sarah Nolting / Sr. Communications & Media Specialist
NOTHING TO SEE HEREIn an industry, full of “best kept secrets” and “somethings for everyone” we’re bucking the trend. Instead of trying to entice visitors with promises of what they’ll find, we took the opposite approach, almost asking people not to come. By down playing the insane amount to see and do in McKinney in a tongue and cheek way, we establish a tone of cool confidence that differentiates McKinney from the competition and motivates their audiences to find out for themselves what makes McKinney, McKinney.
