BACKGROUND
Since 2013, Visit California has made California a place that inspires people to dream, and then to make those dreams come true, building on the state’s anything is possible vibes and being a place of boundless opportunity. The Dream Big brand platform had been highly effective over the past decade in inspiring visitation to the state and welcoming all dreamers to explore the state’s endless bounty. And while the messaging continued to deliver strong results, research conducted by Visit California indicated the state was experiencing some brand tarnish due to a range of issues challenging the state, made more prominent by the constant news cycle. While the brand of California (the state) has suffered, everyone agrees California (the destination) is a great place to visit because it’s fun and free-spirited attitude, offers something for everyone, and embraces “you doing you.”

We set out to evolve the brand positioning to meet consumers where they are and ultimately increase intent to travel, visitation and trip spending in California.