New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau

Opportunity

In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, New Orleans' tourism business, one of the leading driver's for the region's economy, faced complex perception challenges and a grim future outlook for the seafood industry. In order to protect and drive revenue, Bond PR joined forces with the NOMCVB's communications team and local and national advertising and communications agencies in launching an aggressive public relations, social media and advertising campaign to combat misperceptions about the safety of Gulf seafood and the viability of New Orleans as a destination.

Program Components

• Media Relations
  Tasked with maintaining "drive-time" tourism business, Bond PR engaged regional media, cultivating relationships and securing positive media coverage for the City of New Orleans, its cuisine, culture and quality of life.
• Press Tours
  During the oil spill, we conducted press tours, where we invited regional and national media to experience New Orleans. We immersed them in events, cuisine and New Orleans traditions, and the whole time to communicating to them the safety of local seafood.
• Contests
  In order to foster positive conversations and memories of good times in New Orleans, we launched the "Let's Do Shots" photo contest via Facebook, where fans could post their favorite picture from a trip to New Orleans in hopes of winning an all-expense-paid trip to the city. The contest embraced locals as well, offering them the chance to win a special experience in their hometown.