Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department
Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department is a state agency dedicated to promoting travel and tourism to/within the state of Oklahoma. Tourism is a key contributor to the state’s economy and one of Oklahoma’s largest industries.
In 2024, Oklahoma saw 19.07 million trips to Oklahoma in FY24 and length of stay increase to 1.8 days according to Datafy. In addition, we saw total park booking revenue total to almost $10 million. As travel demand continues to increase with about 44% of travelers opting for destinations closer to home, our team has been challenged to make Oklahoma a must-see destination.
VI Marketing and Branding experienced a strategic and compelling campaign to distinguish Oklahoma as a travel destination. Our primary objectives for FY25 were to increase direct travel spending by 10%, increase total nights reserved at Oklahoma State Parks by 25% and Increase visitor days to Route 66 points of interest from FY23 by 26% leading up to the centennial in FY26.
With annual objectives top of mind, we established the following persona campaign strategies:
To move beyond broad tourism messaging, VI developed a persona-driven campaign built from Dean Runyan and OmniTrak data. Five audience segments were identified based on travel motivations:
Each persona aligned with Oklahoma’s diverse offerings from Route 66 and Native heritage to urban dining and outdoor adventure allowing messaging to reflect passion points rather than demographics alone.
The persona campaign showcased Oklahoma’s diverse travel experiences through customized creative developed for five distinct audience segments. Instead of broad, one-size-fits-all messaging, each execution was strategically aligned to audience behaviors and travel motivations, increasing precision and relevance.
A dynamic, collage-style approach highlighted multiple attractions within each asset, reinforcing the depth and variety of experiences available across the state. The campaign included programmatic video and display, YouTube TrueView, paid social, Pinterest and Performance Max. Together, data-driven targeting and tailored creative worked to drive inspiration, engagement and measurable visitation statewide.
Throughout the campaign, the persona campaign delivered measurable impact:
By aligning creative and media with traveler motivations, VI Marketing and Branding strengthened Oklahoma’s position in competitive drive markets, increasing visitation, revenue and park engagement statewide.
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