Market intelligence, a targeted strategy and 500+ creative assets unite 18 unique destinations to drive a historic boost for South Dakota tourism.
Travel South Dakota
Monumental Strategy. Landmark Results.
Research-led strategy and creative drive record growth.
A Monumental Challenge
Travel South Dakota needed to create a unified campaign for 18 distinct Co-op partners, strengthen the state’s overall tourism brand, and drive meaningful traffic to each destination.
Each partner—from Watertown’s lakeside tranquility to Sturgis’s motorcycle energy—had unique parameters that needed to fit under South Dakota’s brand umbrella.
Additionally, we inherited a fractured campaign structure that had bred distrust among partners. With no market research and 569+ creative assets launching simultaneously, the project demanded both strategic clarity and operational excellence
Strategic Approach
To honor both state-level objectives and individual partner needs, we employed systematic research, streamlined strategy, and meticulous execution.
Research-Led Market Intelligence, executed by Love’s in-house research department, created the data foundation necessary for informed targeting and creative decisions.
Unified Brand Architecture developed through a flexible framework allowed each partner’s unique personality to shine while simultaneously strengthening and being strengthened by the state’s brand and reach.
Operational Excellence at Scale, managing 569 creative assets across 18 partners, required a streamlined production process that ensured brand consistency while accommodating individual partner needs.
Results
Love’s data-driven approach successfully unified 18 distinct destinations into a singular, powerful brand story and delivered record-breaking results.
Massive Reach + Impact
$296 million
estimated statewide revenue combining $44 million in hotel booking revenue and $252 million in estimated visitor spend impact, a 15% YOY increase
165,000
enriched bookings, a 5% increase year over year.
17,000
paid search bookings, a 113% YOY increase, attributed to a 37% higher spend and strategic optimizations towards high-performing months
14% YOY increase
in click-through-rate (CTR) for paid social efficiency, despite a reduction in spend
1,300
enriched bookings for a small-scale a la carte campaign, a 43% YOY increase, thanks to diversifying campaign types for participating partners
Everything we created
Love’s power pairing of audience research and strategic media placements increased bookings for South Dakota’s local partners.
Deadwood
Black Hills & Badlands
Spearfish
Co-Ops
