We’re proud to announce the 2024 ETSY Award Winner for Best Implementation of Tiktok/Reels in Marketing Campaign: Destination Toronto.
With more than 53% of its residents born outside of Canada, Toronto is a city that values diversity and inclusivity, which enables different perspectives to meaningfully impact and co-create the city’s culture. It’s what sets Toronto apart and makes it a place others want to experience.
“You Gotta See What We See” is a docuseries that brings this culture to life, asking Toronto insiders to share their unique perspectives and passion for the city. Unlike a traditional destination marketing campaign, they aren’t sharing what there is to see and do, but rather how they see and do it. Because the only way to really understand Toronto, is to see it through the eyes of the people who make Toronto what it is.
The who shaped these perspectives included Toronto-born Julien Christian Lutz, an iconic music video director best known as Director X, and Blackpowerbarbie, a multifaceted still and motion artist specializing in 2D animation from Toronto. The DMO also engaged three U.S. influencers for the campaign’s first visitor perspectives leveraging TikTok’s Story Selection. To further expand the reach of the campaign, Destination Toronto partnered with Hearst on sponsored content, leveraged TikTok’s new Out of Phone, and executed a media event in New York City.
The goal was to accelerate recovery with the U.S. market and encourage more Americans to visit Toronto. Of the international markets, the U.S. was a key market that was underperforming by about half of 2019 levels. We knew that leisure demand from the U.S. presented an opportunity to drive recovery, and that despite a potential economic downturn, the luxury-affluent traveler would continue to prioritize travel.
Overall, the 2023 campaign was a success. Destination Toronto surpassed its website visitation, earned media, impressions, clicks, and social reach objectives. Clicks and video views were both 100% above objectives, while social reach was 25% above the objective.
Photo Credit: Destination Toronto
Have a story idea or want to be featured? Email Matt Swenson at [email protected].
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