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The 2024 Adrian Awards are now open! Take some inspiration from last year’s Public Relations Best of Show winner – The South Dakota Corn-Bassador South Dakota Department of Tourism, and their agency: Lou Hammond Group. Submit your entry for the 2024 Adrian Awards by September 9, 2024.
In our Special Report, we profile all of the Platinum and President’s Award winners — including video and interview footage.
BACKGROUND:
The goal of the campaign was to harness the viral exposure of the “Corn Kid” to propel South Dakota to a national conversation and reach new audiences. The campaign aimed to convert Tariq, the “Corn Kid,” to be a South Dakota ambassador/spokesperson, merging his love for corn with a new appreciation for family fun in the state. The campaign also aimed to engage state officials and tourism partners to educate a national audience about the diverse, lesser-known regions in South Dakota and develop resources for traveler use to plan a visit. The campaign had a goal to secure 100 earned editorial placements and 500,000 social media engagements that promote South Dakota’s family-friendly offerings and agritourism.
CAMPAIGN:
The campaign invited Tariq to visit South Dakota’s corn-related attractions and other tourism sites and honored him as the first-ever “Corn-Bassador” with a proclamation from the governor. The campaign also developed a Corn-Bassador itinerary for travelers to follow Tariq’s footsteps.
RESULTS:
The campaign generated more than 2,320 earned media placements, 46.6B+ impressions, $69.7M+ in media value, and 8.3M+ social media engagements. The campaign also contributed to a record-breaking visitor spending in South Dakota and increased traffic to the lesser-known regions featured in the itinerary.